[Diagnosing the hyperactive child who snores]

Abstract

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder, often associated with sleep disorders. Patients with primary sleep disorders often present hyperactivity and/or attention deficit symptoms. Indeed, obstructive sleep disorder breathing (snoring, hypoventilation disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome) with poor sleep quality can mimic ADHD in children. In this case, inattention and hyperactivity behavior are induced by sleep disorders but do not constitute a clinical diagnosis of ADHD. Therefore, it can sometimes be difficult for the clinician to distinguish between a diagnosis of ADHD with comorbid sleep disorder and a sleep disorder that mimics ADHD symptoms. The objective of this article is to review the relations between ADHD and obstructive sleep disorder breathing and propose a decision tree to help diagnosis.