Commented on November 25, 200812:28 am
Steven wrote:
“It’s been shown that about 1/4 to 1/3 of children with official ADHD actually have obstructive sleep apnea. When treated for their sleep-breathing problem, many of the ADHD symptoms go away. A recent Stanford study showed that in children with large tonsils, removing tonsils and widening their hard palates madesignificant synergistic improvements in behavior scores.”
Oh, I’m afraid the story is much more complicated here. I would like to see the studies that show ADHD symptoms abate when sleep-breathing problems are treated. That is not my experience, from talking with hundreds of adults with ADHD and parents of children with ADHD. Also, we are learning more about so-called “obstructive” sleep apnea — specifically that rather than being caused by excess tissue, it’s faulty brain signaling that can critically delay the message to open the throat and take in oxygen.
And, don’t get me started on Stanford’s Sleep Clinic. From the stories I hear here in Silicon Valley, someone visiting the clinic will sooner have their jaw sawed in half or soft tissue removed before they’ll be treated for ADHD and its inherent dopamine-related issues that can often cause sleep disturbances. It seems that professional territoriality — and perhaps egotism — interferes with wanting what’s best for the patience. Frankly, I find it shameless and entirely discompassionate.
If you’re talking about the same tonsil study that I read a few years ago, that had an n of 12. And they did little follow up — maybe six months? Moreover, I believe they also received corroboration only from a parent, not from a teacher as well. Parents are often highly biased in such reporting, especially not wanting to think that they put their child through a life-threatening surgery for naught.
No one would argue that chronic sleeplessness adversely affects cognition. But it does NOT cause ADHD. And, it’s a shame that so many people with ADHD are diagnosed with the sleep disorders that often plague those with this condition (including sleep apnea, restless-legs syndrome, and delayed sleep phase) — but their ADHD is completely missed by most sleep experts.
Gina Pera, author
Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.? Stopping the Roller Coaster When Someone You Love Has Attention Deficit Disorder