Failure to Thrive Due to Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

The clinical features of two children with failure to thrive due to obstructive sleep apnea are presented. Both patients had subnormal growth velocities for height and weight for many months before diagnosis; both were underweight for height. Relief of their airway obstruction by adenotonsillectomy was promptly followed by catch-up growth and subsequent normal growth velocities. Obstructive sleep apnea should be considered in the differential diagnosis of failure to thrive in children.