Sleep apnea may lead to misdiagnosis of ADHD, expert says

By Staff Writer

A recent report by CNN's Lisa Shives reveals that children who are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) instead. The conditions may cause similar symptoms among kids, she reported.

Shives, who is the founder of a sleep medicine institute in Illinois, detailed the story of a 6-year-old named Jimmy, who was diagnosed with ADHD but was participating in a sleep study to determine the association between sleep and behavior disorders. The sleep exam determined that he had moderate OSA, which is when individuals experience fragmented sleep because there is a drop in oxygen and a rise in carbon dioxide.

According to the news provider, Jimmy received a tonsillectomy and an adenoidectomy to treat his sleeping disorder. Two months later, his mother reported that his mood and his behavior problems - which were previously linked to ADHD - had all but disappeared. Shives said that up to 30 percent of children who are diagnosed with ADHD may have a sleep disorder instead.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the number of children diagnosed with ADHD jumped nearly 22 percent from 2003 to 2007.