Believe it or not, seeing sleep apnea symptoms in children is on the rise. It is no longer an issue that simply affects adults, typically men. It is a problem that women suffer from as well. If your child is having difficulty sleeping, it is a good idea to look for the following sleep apnea symptoms in children so that you can decide whether that is the issue they are suffering from.

Regular Snoring

Snoring is not one of the guaranteed sleep apnea symptoms in children, but it can be an indicator of the issue. About 1 in 10 children that snore do so because they suffer from the condition, which means if you have a little snorer in your home, it is possible that they are suffering from sleep apnea. Don’t panic if you do notice these sleep apnea symptoms in children. They can be managed with the right treatment plan. Just make sure that you keep your eyes open for other potential sleep apnea symptoms in children.

Bed Wetting

Another set of sleep apnea symptoms in children that isn’t a very strong indication of the issue is bed wetting. Some children that wet their beds are suffering from sleep apnea. The condition keeps them from recognizing that they should use the bathroom in the middle of the night, often because they are simply too tired.

Daytime Tiredness and Irritation

Do you feel like you have an irritable child, or a child that has trouble focusing during the day? It is possible that your child is just suffering from sleep apnea at night. It turns out, some of the strongest sleep apnea symptoms in children are daytime tiredness, trouble focusing, and irritability. These symptoms can all be cleared up by fixing the issue that is causing the apnea. Your child will be much better off because of it.

Mouth Breathing and Breathing Pauses

If your child breathes through his or her mouth, and has frequent pauses in breathing throughout the night, it is possible they suffer from sleep apnea. These are two of the strongest indicators of the problem. If your child has either of these two common sleep apnea symptoms in children, it is important to have them checked for the problem by a Columbus, Ohio specialist. By identifying the issue, you can help improve your child’s quality of sleep during the night, and likely their mental focus throughout the day as well.  So, keep an eye open for these sleep apnea symptoms in children, and get them checked out if you notice them showing up in your child.

How to Find Out if Your Child Has Sleep Apnea in Columbus, Ohio

If you have noticed more than one of the sleep apnea symptoms in children within your own household, it is a good idea to consider having a sleep study done. There are sleep studies conducted all over the country, and with a bit of research, you should be able to find one in your area as well. You can bring your child to the nearest sleep facility or sleep specialist, and have them do a polysomnogram to find out whether sleep apnea is the issue your child faces. If you only notice one of the sleep apnea symptoms in children in your own child, you probably don’t have anything to worry about. Your child likely isn’t a good candidate for a sleep study. Just keep an eye on them to see if any additional sleep apnea symptoms in children pop up over time.

After you have the polysomnogram done, the results can help you decide if sleep apnea is an issue or not. During the study, if your child pauses their breathing even one time (one of the most common sleep apnea symptoms in children) during each hour of sleep, sleep apnea is the potential problem that your child is suffering from. Mild cases range from 5 to 14 breathing episodes per hour, and they can climb all the way up to 30 or more episodes in an hour for more severe cases. With these potential levels of disruption possible, it is important to look for those sleep apnea symptoms in children so that you can have the problem sorted out as soon as possible.

Treating the Condition in Columbus, Ohio

If after going through the test, your child is found to have sleep apnea, don’t despair. Now you know what the issue is and you can focus on resolving it and making your little one more comfortable at night. One of the most common causes of sleep apnea symptoms in children is enlarged tonsils, and in those instances, it is possible to remove the tonsils to correct the problems. Another major factor leading to sleep apnea symptoms in children is obesity. If your child is overweight, careful diet and weight management practices can alleviate the problem over time.

It is important to remember that any sleep apnea symptoms in children are also signs of other potential problems as well. That is why it is up to you to look out for potential sleep apnea symptoms in children in your own home. If you see them, then have some tests done to find out what the actual issue is with your children. Once you have a good understanding of what the issue is, it is simple to correct the issue and improve your child’s sleep conditions.

To find out what sleep apnea symptoms in children to be paying attention to, contact Mark Levy, DDS. He can be reached at (614)777-7350, and he can help children and parents all around the Columbus, Ohio area.