Symptoms and Treatment in
Sleep Apnea in Children
Sleep apnea in children is more common today than it was in any other generation. Obesity, large tonsils or adenoids, a narrow upper airway, may trigger in children obstructive sleep apnea. I remember a three-year-old Ann's mom, Angela, who was full of anxiety about her child.
She said that every night Ann slept, the child would stop breathing from time to time. Just as Angela thought Ann would never take another breath, Ann would snore and snort and resume breathing again. She taken her to sleep in the same bed with her, in case she needed to wake her up to start breathing again. She was really worried.
Since a child is unaware of his breathing problems in the night, a parent's effort to help his child is crucial.There are parents who don' realize that their child has a sleep disorder. They should be informed about
sleep disorders in children
to avoid complications and save his life.
It's so funny when my child snores...said another mother.
Snoring is the most obvious symptom of sleep apnea in children. So, if you hear your child snoring, don't laugh but be careful at his sleep. Heavy snoring with loud snorting is a sign of severe obstructive sleep apnea. Other sleep apnea symptoms in children are:- noisy breathing and mouth breathing
- brief period of no breathing
- restless sleep, including turning and tossing
- sleeping in odd positions
- irritability, frustration, hyperactivity and aggresivity
- difficulty paying attention
- daytime sleepiness and lethargy at obese children
- poor performance at school, such as poor concentration, behavioral problems and lack of learning.
- bed-wetting
- morning headache
- cardiovascular problems, such as abnormalities or arrhythmia
Sleep apnea in infants may be a cause of
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
, which is a fatal syndrome that affects babies usually between 1 and 12 month of age. This unexplained death may appear at healthy babies, too.
Click here
to learn more about this syndrome. A sleep apnea symptom, such as behavioral problems and poor concentration, can affect a child for the rest of his life. Therefore, you should act immediately in treating sleep apnea, if your child has this disorder.
Children are more difficult to diagnose than adults, and can easily be misdiagnosed by doctors. If you think that your child has a sleep disorder, go to an accredited sleep center to take a sleep test.Some of the sleep apnea symptoms differ in children and adults with sleep apnea. The children with sleep apnea are hyperactive or aggressive. They are not necessarily sleepy as adults with sleep apnea. Therefore it would be wise to look for a sleep specialist who is experienced with pediatric sleep disorders.
Sleep-Apnea-Guide Handbook
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