**2. Epidemiology**

In the developmental age, prevalence in preschool and school age for primary snoring ranges from 3.2 to 12.1%, while for OSAS, it varies from 1.1 to 2.9%. The peak incidence is observed between 3 and 6 years and coincides with the age of maximum development of lymphatic tissue. In all the studies found in the literature, it can in fact be noted that the incidence of OSAS is greater in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy [4].

The prevalence of OSAS in Italy shows a prevalence in children of 4.9% for primary snoring and of 1.8% for OSAS [5].

On the other hand, African American children were reported four to six times more likely to have OSAS than children of Caucasian origin [6], while the predisposition to OSAS in African Americans has been attributed to different upper airway anatomy and pharyngeal neuromotor control in addition to other genetic and environmental factors [6].

In clinical practice, there are many screening tests for the identification of sleeprelated breathing disorders in pediatric age.

Furthermore, in children, sleep is less fragmented than adults because the behavioral awakenings seem to be less frequent in children than in adults with a lower incidence of daytime excessive somnolence.
