Cognitive Effects of Sleep Apnea and Narcolepsy in School Age Children

Although there exist numerous pediatric sleep disorders as defined by the DSM-IV and the American Sleep Disorders Association, the majority of these problems are transient in nature and/or present problems primarily at night (e.g. insomnia, enuresis, nightmares, night terrors, somnambulism). Sleep apnea and narcolepsy, conversely, are often chronic, potentially lifelong disorders that give rise to the daily experience of excessive hypersomnolence and numerous diurnal complications. The pathological components of apnea and narcolepsy are unrelated and each disorder is characterized by a distinctly different pattern of diagnostic features. Yet, recent research among adult populations indicates that sufferers of apnea and narcolepsy may experience numerous daytime difficulties.