ABSTRACT
The upper airway encompasses the region from the nose to the vocal cords. This region is unique due to lack of supporting cartilages or bony structures and its involvement in phonation, swallowing, and respiration. Due to its lack of bony support, this area becomes collapsible during sleep, resulting in snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Any alterations due to congenital craniofacial abnormalities, hypertrophy of upper airway structures, or impaired neuromuscular control of the upper airways can result in increased collapsibility, and therefore, higher likelihood of sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBDs). Often, such SRBDs can start early in life. For example, habitual snoring is often present during the first years of life and it is estimated that up to two-thirds are due to adenotonsillar enlargement (1). Peak prevalence of SRBDs in children occurs between the ages of two and eight years, which is coincident with peak size of lymphoid tissues (2).
