Breathing Problems
English 
Español Due to the underdevelopment of the jaw structures, many patients can develop obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Patients with obstructive sleep apnea can experience respiratory depression and decreased oxygenation during sleep.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can lead to:
- Daytime sleepiness
- Poor sleep patterns
- Inability to concentrate
- An overall negative effect on the child’s growth and development
In the long-term, obstructive sleep apnea can also lead to:
- hypertension
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Other cardiac disease such as heart failure
Thus, it is important to ensure proper treatment including surgery to allow opening of the airways, and in many cases, patients will need to use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask during sleep on a long-term basis.
