CCHS Scientific & Educational Abbreviation

Cathedral City High School

Cape Coral High School

Columbus Catholic High School

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome

Failure from birth of central nervous system control over breathing while asleep. There are usually no breathing problems while awake. The involuntary (autonomic) control of respiration is impaired, but the voluntary control of ventilation which operates during waking hours is generally intact. The neurologic problem can extend to the control over the motility of the esophagus and the colon. Reduced esophageal motility causes food to move too slowly down to the stomach. Reduced motility of the colon produces a condition called Hirschsprung disease (megacolon) with severe constipation and even obstruction.