Have you ever wondered if your toddler may have sleep apnea? It is not very common, but it is also not unheard of,

Hilliard Cosmetic dentist Mark Levy, D.D.S. specializes in a wide range of cosmetic dentistry techniques. At his practice, located in Hilliard, near Columbus, Ohio, Dr. Levy provides an array of cosmetic dentistry procedures, such as Americas-best-dentist porcelain veneers, headache therapy, sleep apnea, dental implants and more.
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either. Toddlers have smaller bodies, but they have nearly identical functionality in those little bodies as their adult counterparts. Basically, if an adult can have it, so can a little one. So, if your child is struggling to get good sleep at night, and they are snoring on a regular basis, what is a parent to do? The best step is to talk with your child’s doctor and dentist about getting a sleep apnea diagnosis.

The Worries Associated with Sleep Apnea in Toddlers

If you notice that your toddler is not getting good sleep, you need to see someone about it. They need to know what is going on from your perspective, before they are going to know what to be on the lookout for. If sleep apnea goes untreated, it can lead to a lot of issues for your toddler, now and into the future. You want to make sure that your toddler gets checked out just as soon as you think there may be an issue.

When a toddler gets sleep apnea, it can be a worrisome time for parents. Your little bundle is struggling to do one of the most basic things most people take for granted – breathe. It can be difficult to know what to do or where to turn. Unfortunately, wasting time trying to figure out the first step could put them at risk for delays, both physically and behaviorally. The first thing to do is to talk to your child’s pediatrician about what is going on. From there, you should also include your child’s dentist, as dentists are often the ones who can do the most when it comes to helping treat sleep apnea in people of all ages.

Your child’s pediatrician will likely send your child off to a more specialized doctor or dentist to diagnose the issue. You may be sent to a sleep apnea specialist, a doctor that specializes in ears, noses, and throats (also called an ENT), or you may be sent to a sleep clinic that specializes in diagnosing sleep apnea. From there, your child will be tested to see if he or she has sleep apnea for sure.

The Testing for Sleep Apnea to Expect

The most common test that is done to diagnose sleep apnea is a polysomnograph. It is a sleep study. They will keep an eye on your child as he or she sleeps. They will monitor your child’s heart and brain waves if they believe that they are being affected by how your child sleeps, and they will also monitor how your child breathes during their sleep. If your child is noted to struggle while breathing, either with or without stopping breathing during their sleep, then they will likely get the diagnosis of having sleep apnea.

How Sleep Apnea is Treated

When your toddler has sleep apnea, you need to make sure that you follow through with the treatment the doctor or dentist provides them. It is the only way to avoid having long-term issues from a lack of sleep and from not being able to breathe. One of the simpler ways of being able to treat sleep apnea is getting a mouth guard to put into your child’s mouth. It holds their jaw in a specific position, which keeps the airway propped open more easily, allowing them to breathe more freely when they sleep. They will get this mouth guard from the dentist, who will have to refit them for a new one every 3-12 months, depending on how quickly your toddler grows.

The way that more severe cases of sleep apnea is treated is through the use of what is called a CPAP machine. This machine includes a mask that sits on your child’s face while they sleep. It puts pressure into their airway to help keep the airways open while they sleep. It needs to be regularly adjusted as your child grows, but it holds the airway open enough where breathing is often effortless, and sleep is once again restful and peaceful. It may take a little bit of time for your toddler to adjust to their CPAP machine, but it will give both them, and you, the peace of mind that breathing is no longer a constant struggle.

If you live in or around the Columbus, Ohio and you are worried that your toddler might be suffering from sleep apnea, go in and get them seen. This is not a diagnosis that you can afford to wait on. Each day that it goes diagnosed, puts your toddler’s body at risk. They need good sleep to grow, thrive, and mature properly for kids their age.

For additional information on how to diagnose or treat sleep apnea in Columbus, Ohio or the surrounding areas, give Mark Levy, DDS a call. His office can be reached at (614)777-7350.