Sleep disorders helped by tonsillectomy

Kansas City, Kan. -- U.S. doctors found children diagnosed with sleep-related breathing disorders appear to sleep better following removal of their tonsils and adenoids.

The study, published in the Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery, also reported a change for the better in the behavior of the child following the surgery.

Study leader Dr. Julie Wei, of the University of Kansas School of Medicine, surveyed 117 children with sleep disordered breathing caused by snoring, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, or another condition who had their tonsils and adenoids removed.

The surveys included behavioral questions because sleep-disordered breathing in children has been associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, hyperactive behavior, academic problems, bed wetting, learning disabilities, sleepiness during the day, headaches and other complaints.

Wei and her colleagues found correlations between sleep and behavior scores before and after surgery. Among the 71 children who completed the six-month follow-up, scores for sleep problems and behavioral difficulties were significantly lower after six months than before surgery.

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