Sleep apnea is a condition in which people stop breathing while they sleep.
There have been many studies on adults with sleep apnea, but not much is known about children who have the condition. About 2,500 school children in Tucson, ages 6 to 12, will participate in the four-year study. Participants will be selected on a random basis from Tucson-area schools that have agreed to participate and that have obtained consent from the children's parents. This information will help clinical pulmonary doctors determine which children are most likely to develop sleep-disturbed breathing, and to suffer from the associated negative effects on their health and education. Other researchers involved include Kris L. Kaemingk, Ph.D., Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Neurology Section, and Andrew C. Jackson, Ph.D., consultant.