Nature and Science of Sleep (Nov 2022)
Sleep Disorders in Children with Prader Willi Syndrome: Current Perspectives
Abstract
David G Ingram,1 Jill M Arganbright,2 Emily Paprocki,3 Kelsee L Halpin3 1Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA; 2Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA; 3Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USACorrespondence: David G Ingram, Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Children’s Mercy Hospital, 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA, Tel +1 816-983-6490, Email [email protected]: Children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) face a multitude of potential health challenges including life-threatening obesity, endocrinopathies, behavioral and emotional dysregulation, developmental delays, and sleep disorders. In the current perspective piece, we provide a focused review of the condition’s etiology and clinical findings, as well as a more in-depth discussion of sleep disorders frequently associated with PWS. In particular, we highlight and discuss difficult clinical scenarios frequently encountered by the pediatric sleep physician caring for this patient population, including diagnosis and treatment of complex sleep-related breathing disorders, considerations for sleep apnea surgery, the interplay between growth hormone and sleep apnea, diagnostic challenges in hypersomnia/narcolepsy, and current and emerging therapies for hypersomnia/narcolepsy. Overall, although there are many areas that need further research, sleep disorders remain a fruitful target for improving quality of life of children with PWS and their families.Keywords: Prader-Willi syndrome, narcolepsy, growth hormone, sleep apnea
