Sleep disorder breathing in children can be a very scary thing for parents and children alike. Some sleep disorder breathing is harmless and so mild that parents may not even notice it for months or even years. On the other hand, other forms of sleep disorder breathing are quite noticeable and can cause other issues if left untreated long enough.

Sleep Disorder Breathing Can Cause Serious Health Effects

While it may be tempting to write off sleep disorder breathing as something that’s harmless and which your child will eventually grow out of, the truth of the matter is that it can have serious effects on your child’s health. These effects include:

• ADD/ADHD
• Allergies
• Aggression
• Drowsiness during the daytime
• Nightmares
• Irritability
• Headaches
• Stunted growth
• Lower grades, particularly in math and spelling
• Other effects

With this in mind, you can see that sleep disorder breathing can be a serious problem. What’s more, because the symptoms of the condition can be so wide-ranging, many parents are left scratching their heads wondering what it is that is causing so many issues with their child.

Sleep disorder breathing is a legitimate issue that should be taken seriously. Parents and educators alike should consider whether a particular “problem child” may in fact be struggling simply to breathe properly when he or she is sleeping. Once the underlying cause of sleep disorder breathing is addressed, many children quickly begin to grow properly, and many of the above symptoms can disappear altogether.

Causes of Sleep Disorder Breathing

Given that sleep disorder breathing can be quite problematic, it is important to understand what causes it and, perhaps more importantly, what can be done to fix it. Although the exact cause will vary from child to child, generally speaking sleep disorder breathing comes from a condition that causes the child’s oxygen levels to be lower than they should be while he or she is sleeping.

These lowered oxygen levels can cause the above, and other, issues. In addition, as your child struggles to breathe while he or she sleeps, he or she will lose restful sleep and may experience challenges focusing at school. While some of the symptoms of sleep disorder breathing will disappear fairly quickly once the underlying cause is addressed, some of them can remain for years and cause long-term or even permanent alterations to your child’s health. Thus, it is important to quickly identify the cause of the condition and take affirmative steps to correct it.

Fortunately, there are professionals who can help with this situation. One such professional is Mark Levy, DDS, who can be reached at (614) 777-7350. Dr. Levy has extensive experience in sleep disorder breathing, and can help your child get a good and restful night’s sleep.

Treatment for Sleep Disorder Breathing

Some medical professionals will attempt to treat the symptoms of sleep disorder breathing, and not the underlying cause. These doctors will use prescriptions to treat conditions such as ADHD, aggression, and so on. However, Dr. Levy does not believe in taking these steps until other issues that may contribute to sleep disorder breathing have been considered.

First, Dr. Levy will take a close look at your child’s airways. He will look for things that may suggest that the flow of air is being impeded when your child sleeps. Sometimes, teeth that appear to be crooked may actually be hindering the flow of air. Likewise, an underbite or overbite can have more than merely cosmetic consequences.

Mark Levy, DDS Can Help Sleep Disorder Breathing

Dr. Levy uses the Healthy Start system to help properly align your child’s teeth and jaw. This in turn cuts down on issues with the obstruction of air, and improves your child’s ability to breathe as he or she sleeps. At the same time, the Healthy Start system has the added benefit of helping to straighten any crooked or misaligned teeth, resulting in a smile your child will be proud of.

If you are a parent and you have a child that you think may be suffering from sleep disorder breathing, don’t hesitate any longer. Every night you delay is another night that your child may be sleeping fitfully, struggling just to get enough air into his or her lungs.

The good news is that this is a highly treatable situation. What’s more, given that the Healthy Start system also corrects any cosmetic issues, you can treat two issues at once. Finally, keep in mind that medicating your child may not be the answer to any behavioral issue that you are seeing.

Help is just a phone call away. By addressing this matter now, you can start working towards more restful nights and more productive days for your child. Call Mark Levy, DDS, at (614) 777-7350 and let him check your child for sleep disorder breathing.