Tonsil surgery may straighten spines in kids with sleep apnea

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age between 6 and 15 years. 2. Diagnosed with mild SDB, defined as: Obstructive Apnea-Hypopnea Index (OAHI) ≤5 events/hour on a laboratory-based PSG performed within the past 6 months, AND parental report of habitual obstructive breathing symptoms (e.g., snoring, mouth-breathing, witnessed apneas) occurring \>3 nights per week on average. 3. Tonsillar hypertrophy grade ≥2 (on a scale of 0-4) and deemed an appropriate candidate for AT upon ENT evaluation (i.e., no absolute contraindications such as submucous cleft palate). 4. Has undergone radiographic screening for idiopathic scoliosis at the first clinic visit. 5. Skeletally immature (Risser sign 0-3) with spinal Cobb angle \< 40 degrees. 6. Informed consent/assent provided by the participant and guardian. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Unwillingness or inability to comply with study procedures. 2. Plans to relocate outside the study area within 24 months. 3. Previous tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. 4. Recurrent tonsillitis meeting guideline criteria for immediate AT. 5. Severe OSA (OAHI \>10 or as per clinician judgment) or significant hypoxemia requiring immediate CPAP therapy. 6. Severe chronic conditions that could confound outcomes, including but not limited to: * Known syndromic, neuromuscular, or congenital musculoskeletal causes of scoliosis. * History of spine surgery or significant spinal injury. * Spinal tumor. * Leg length discrepancy \>20 mm. * Severe cardiopulmonary disease (e.g., cystic fibrosis, congenital heart disease). * Significant cardiac arrhythmia noted on PSG. * Bleeding disorders, Sickle Cell Disease. * Uncontrolled diabetes, narcolepsy, or asthma. * Known genetic, craniofacial, neurological, or psychiatric conditions likely to affect the airway or study participation. * Severe obesity (BMI z-score ≥ 3).