Sleep apnea is a disorder in which breathing stops momentarily during sleep. While most people who suffer from this sleeping disorder, particularly obstructive sleep apnea are adults, children can also suffer from this dangerous disorder. There are signs and symptoms that you can look out for if you think your child may be suffering from sleep apnea.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway becomes blocked or obstructed. This results in the cessation of breathing momentarily. This serious condition has many consequences for children who suffer from this sleeping disorder. If not treated, your child may suffer from heart and growth problems as well as learning and behavioral problems. In some cases, sleep apnea can be a life threatening disorder. It’s extremely important to have your child evaluated if you feel like they may be suffering from sleep apnea.

Unfortunately, it isn’t always clear when your child may be suffering from sleep apnea. We, here at Mark Levy DDS, understand your concern as parents and have compiled this list of symptoms for you to review and see if they apply to your child.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

When obstructive sleep apnea causes your child’s breathing to stop while they’re sleeping, several things happen. Oxygen levels decrease throughout the body when your child isn’t breathing properly throughout the night. Normally, this sends a signal to your child’s brain to wake up momentarily so that the airway will reopen. Most of the time, your child won’t be aware that this is happening. However, as the sleep apnea cycle continues and the child is repeatedly woken through the night, they won’t get a restful night of sleep.

This restlessness is often accompanied by additional indications of sleep apnea including pauses in breathing, snoring, snorts, or gasps for air. Tossing and turning throughout the night may also be an indication of sleep apnea, especially if your child is found sleeping in unusual positions. A sudden increase in bedwetting incidents can also signify that there may be a problem.

Of course the lack of a good night’s sleep can also lead to noticeable issues during the day such as behavioral problems and learning problems. Children who suffer from sleep apnea are often very difficult to wake in the morning and show symptoms of being tired throughout the length of the day. They may have a hard time paying attention to parents at home or teachers at school. This can cause their school work to falter. Often children are misdiagnosed as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, when in fact their child is suffering from a sleep disorder which makes it extremely difficult for them to concentrate on the task at hand.

If your child is very restless at night, snores, and is excessively tired during the day or if you notice that their breathing seems to stop throughout the night or they’re snoring or gasping for air while they sleep then it’s recommended that you take your child to their pediatrician.

Causes for Sleep Apnea

Your child’s pediatrician can help evaluate your child and advise if they feel that your child would benefit from a sleep study. They will also try to find the cause of the obstructive sleep apnea. In many cases, the child’s tonsils or adenoids were enlarged, causing the airway to become blocked as they sleep and their muscles relax. This is the most common cause for obstructive sleep apnea in children and is easily remedied by having the tonsils and adenoids removed.

There are additional risk factors that may increase the likelihood that your child suffers from obstructive sleep apnea. Medical conditions such as cerebral palsy and Down syndrome can cause this sleeping disorder. Your family history could also increase the likelihood that your child may suffer from this disorder. If your family has a history of obstructive sleep apnea then there’s a greater chance that your child will have the same disorder. Similarly, if your family has a history of being overweight, having a large tongue or neck, or any structural defects in the mouth, jaw, or throat then your child may be more likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.

Diagnosing Sleep Apnea in Children

After your doctor discusses the family history and any other potential cause of sleep apnea with you, then they may recommend that your child undergo a sleep study. During the sleep study sensors will be placed on your child’s body to monitor their breathing as they sleep. It’s a painless and risk-free procedure for the child, but they will need to spend the night in a sleep center or hospital while the study is performed.

The sensors relay data to a computer in the next room. Your doctor will review the data and make a diagnosis and treatment plan based upon what they’ve found and your previous discussions. Many Americans, including children are able to successfully live with sleep apnea if they follow the treatment plan created by their parents and doctor.

If you would like to know more about sleep apnea, please contact Mark Levy DDS at (614) 777-7350.