Oral language skills in Brazilian children with obstructive sleep apnea

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with a negative impact on neurocognitive development in children. Receptive/expressive oral language is a complex process, with limited investigations on the repercussion of OSA. This study aimed to analyze receptive and expressive oral language skills in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methodology: This study included 52 children (27 females, 51.92 %) with a mean age of 7 ± 2 years (age range of 4–11 years), which underwent type 3 polysomnography (PSG). The participants were divided into N-OSA (n = 16) and OSA (n = 36) groups based on the apnea-hypopnea index. The speech-language therapist evaluated hearing and oral language for phonology, expressive semantics, syntax, receptive semantics (Peabody Image Vocabulary Test), pragmatics, and understanding of verbal instructions (Token Test). Results: Oral language assessments showed a difference in the pragmatics subsystem (p = 0.047), with positive correlation between OSA severity and oral language functions such as pragmatics and syntax (desaturation index, p = 0.045). Conclusion: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) had a negative impact on oral language skills, including the syntax and pragmatics subsystems.