“The stupid lazy child who frequently suffers from headaches at school, breathes through his mouth instead of his nose, snores and is restless at night, and wakes up with a dry mouth in the morning, is well worthy of the solicitous attention of the school medical officer.”

This is an excerpt from a 19th century article that appeared in the British Medical Journal, “On century article that appeared in the British Medical Journal, “On some causes of backwardness and stupidity in children” by Dr. William Hill in 1889.

Despite the fact that these observations were made over 100 years ago, the first reports on the importance of identifying obstructive sleep apnea in children only occurred in 1976 (Guilleminault et al). Since then research into this disorder has dramatically increased and it is now recognized that obstructive sleep apnea is one of the most common disorders of childhood. It has now documented that untreated obstructive sleep apnea can result in behavioral problems, below average school performance, decreased attention span, poor growth and in severe cases may have cardiovascular consequences.