ost everyone knows what it feels like when they don’t get enough sleep at night. But imagine not getting quality sleep for nights on end. For many children, sleepless nights lead to other problems such as difficulties with learning and paying attention in school and behavioral problems.

In about 1 percent of all children, the cause of disrupted sleep is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Between 5 and 10 percent of all children snore, and of those, a fraction snore loudly and continuously. But some children who do not snore also have the disorder, according to Dr. John Herman, clinical director of the sleep disorder center at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas. The center is the only sleep disorders center in Texas that specializes in children and is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

OSA frequently prevents a child from reaching deep stages of sleep and rapid eye movement sleep. “These children sometimes sleep with their mouths open, snore loudly and may be tired and sleepy after waking up in the morning,” Dr. Herman says.

Typically, a child who may have OSA undergoes a sleep study during which electrodes are placed on the child’s body to monitor the quality and quantity of sleep and check the child’s respiration and blood oxygen to determine how much it is impaired by sleep apnea.

The child’s pediatrician usually will be involved in the decision about whether intervention is necessary judging from the results of the sleep study.

Treatment for children with OSA most often is a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, or both. Some children with more severe OSA, in whom surgery is not an option, may require a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask during sleep. This is the most typical treatment for adults with OSA. The mask is secured over the child’s nose and provides slight pressure to increase the amount of air breathed in without increasing the work of breathing.