Children’s Sleep in Focus: Highlights from Sleep and Breathing 2025
The Sleep and Breathing Conference 2025, co-organised by the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS), is set to take place from 10–12 April 2025 in Antwerp, Belgium. This biennial event serves as a premier platform for professionals in sleep and respiratory medicine to converge, share insights, and advance the field.
In alignment with our commitment to promoting healthy sleep habits among children and adolescents during Sleep Awareness Month, we are pleased to highlight two notable contributions in the field of paediatric sleep health at the upcoming Sleep and Breathing Conference 2025.
1. Management of Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children with Neuromuscular Disorders and Neuro-disability
Session Chair: Dr. Athanasios G. Kaditis
Session Type: Symposium
On Saturday morning, 12 April (08:30 – 10:00 CET), a symposium focused on recent advances in the management of sleep-disordered breathing in children with genetic neuromuscular diseases and neuro-disability will be presented. Novel treatment modalities for genetic neuromuscular diseases are evolving including targeted therapies such as exon skipping/inclusion and gene replacement therapies. The resulting improvement in the prognosis of these genetic disorders may be accompanied by a reduction in the associated risk of sleep-related hypoventilation and obstructive sleep apnea. New developments in the field and current management strategies will be reviewed in the first talk of the symposium.
The second presentation will address the diagnostic and treatment challenges in children with neuro-disability. Pathophysiology of sleep disordered breathing is multifactorial in this group of children placing them at increased risk for persistent obstructive sleep apnea post-adenotonsillectomy. Improved management and novel genetic and molecular therapies have resulted in increased life expectancy of patients with neuromuscular diseases or neuro disability. Therefore, the third talk will be focused on the transition process from pediatric to adult care that takes into consideration the physical, psychological, and social needs of patients and caregivers.
2. Infant Sleep and Parental Well-Being
Session Type: Abstract Presentations
Featured Topics:
Relationships between Infant Sleep and Parental Sleep in Mothers and Fathers: This presentation explores the interconnections between infant sleep patterns and parental sleep quality, offering insights into family dynamics and well-being.
A Sensorless Solution for Monitoring Infant Breathing Rate: ntroducing an innovative, non-intrusive method for monitoring infant breathing, this research highlights advancements in sleep safety and technology.
To gain deeper insights into these abstracts and findings, we invite you to watch the following video featuring Dr. Natalie Barnett, VP of Clinical Research at Nanit:
Recent publications from ESRS members
Rouge I. et al (2025), Altered Intra- and Inter-Network Resting-State Functional Connectivity is Associated with Neuropsychological Functioning and Clinical Symptoms in Patients with Isolated Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder, Mov Disord.
- Heremans ERM et al (2025), Automated remote sleep monitoring needs uncertainty quantification, J Sleep Res.
- McNicholas W.T. et al (2025), The future of education in sleep science and medicine in Europe: Report of an ESRS workshop, J. Sleep Res.
- Devulder A. et al (2025), Epileptic activity on foramen ovale electrodes is associated with sleep and tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease, Brain
- Bilgeri V. et al (2025), Weather-Associated Variations of Device-Detected Severe Sleep Apnea in Cardiac Pacemaker Patients, J. Sleep Res.