Sleep disorders in both adults and children show up on physicians’ radar screens more often than they did as recently as a decade ago. There’s still a lag, however, between connecting children’s hyperactive behavior, difficulty focusing, or poor school performance with a surprisingly common cause: sleep-disordered breathing.
Earlier diagnosis and effective treatment often can reverse symptoms, prevent school failure, and reduce health care costs as well. This article aims to boost primary care physicians’ recognition of problems associated with sleep-disordered breathing and their treatment.