Text Box: THE PREDICTIVE SIGNS OF SLEEP APNEA SYNDROME IN CHILDREN AND CONSCIOUSNESS LEVEL OF THEIR FAMILIES Oguz F1, Cuhadaroglu C2, Erdamar B3, Aydin F1, Unuvar E1, Aydemir N 2, Sidal M1 1Department of Pediatrics, Medicine Faculty of Istanbul, Turkey 2 Department of Respiratory, Medicine Faculty of Istanbul, Turkey 3 Department of Otolarynghology, Medicine Faculty of Istanbul, Turkey Objectives: There is no any consensus about diagnostic criteria, prevelance, signs and symptoms of sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) in children yet. Also, there isn¡¯t any publication in Turkey about SAS in children. We aimed to show predictive signs of SAS in children between 0-14 years and consciousness level of their families about SAS. Methods: First patient of the day coming to visit, without any acute respiratory tract infection, neuromotor disorders and upper airway anomaly, taken into consideration. First, a questionnaire about symptoms of SAS performed and then sleep study was made. Oxygen desaturatıon, airflow and chest movements were screened in all cases. Apneas & hypopneas, desaturations at least 4% were detected by specific software. Otolarngologist examined all cases. Snoring was seen in 58%, nocturnal sweating 60%, hyperactivity in 21%, apnea in 8.7% of cases. In the sleep study, we found that respiratory disturbance index more than 1 in 65%, minimum oxygen saturation lowing below 90% in 76% of patients. An upper airway pathology causing upper airway obstruction determined in 61% of cases; SAS was diagnosed in 80 % of cases having hyperactivity or aggresive behaviour; in 63% of cases having upper respiratory tract infection often; in 60% of patients complaining about snoring; in 53% of children having nocturnal sweating and in 25 % of them having apnea. Conclusion: At least the children having tonsillar hypertrophy, repetitive upper airway infection, nocturnal sweating and behavioral abnormalities should be investigated about SAS. 2297