Phoniatry and Obstructive sleep apnea(OSA)

​ Phoniatry  main  focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of voice disorders, laryngeal dysfunctions, swallowing disorders difficulties, dysfluent and unclear speech and specific language impairment, and the consequent difficulties in communicating and learning. Phoniatry include  patient groups include adults with voice disturbances and children with speech and language disorders. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep. In the most common form this follows loud snoring. There may be a choking or snorting sound as breathing resumes. As it disrupts normal sleep, those affected are often sleepy or tired during the day. In children it may cause problems in school or hyperactivity. There are three forms of sleep apnea, obstructive (OSA), central (CSA), and a combination of the two. OSA is the most common form. Risk factors for OSA include being overweight, a family history of the condition, allergies, and enlarged tonsils. In OSA, breathing is interrupted by a blockage of airflow, while in CSA breathing stops due to a lack of effort to breathe. People with sleep apnea are often not aware they have it. Often it is picked up by a family member. Sleep apnea is often diagnosed with an overnight sleep study.