454 - Parental Awareness of Sleep Disordered Breathing in Children

Purpose:  This study assessed pediatric dental sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) screening in the pediatric patient population at the University of Maryland Dental School. The study also evaluated parental awareness of SDB and discussions with physicians. 

Methods:  Parents completed a modified questionnaire, derived from the "I'M SLEEPY" tool, which included 6 questions regarding signs and symptoms related to SDB. Questions were used to assess the presence or absence of behavioral issues, difficulty concentrating, daytime sleepiness, snoring, and observed breathing difficulties in their children. Responses included yes/no options. Additional questions were included to assess parental familiarity with the term SDB or sleep apnea, whether or not they were aware that this could occur in children, and whether or not the parent had ever discussed this with their child’s physician. Ethnic disparities were analyzed among participants. Descriptive statistics and Fisher’s Exact tests were used.

Results:  This study reveals a lack of parental awareness of pediatric SDB among our patient population. There was no significant association between the time since a child's last physician visit and parental SDB awareness. However, African American participants showed greater familiarity with the term SDB compared to Hispanic participants (P < .01).  

Conclusions:  A majority of parents were unaware that sleep-disordered breathing could affect children. Ethnic disparities highlight the need for targeted awareness initiatives. Integrating SDB discussions into routine pediatric dental care is may be helpful for early detection and intervention. 

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