It’s not uncommon for a sleeping child to occasionally snore, cough, or even snort. Sometimes this can be due to sickness, congestion, or just their sleep position. However, excessive or frequent snoring, snorting, coughing, or choking during sleep can be a warning sign of pediatric sleep apnea. Pediatric sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which the child’s breathing is repeatedly blocked during sleep, either partially or completely. According to the latest studies, 1-4% of children have sleep apnea. This is most common in children from 2 years old to 8 years old. Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea prevents young children from getting the restful, restorative sleep they need, affecting their developing minds and bodies.
How Does Sleep Apnea Occur in Children?
The condition that most frequently results in pediatric obstructive sleep apnea is enlarged tonsils and adenoids. This can block their upper airway, the back of their mouth and nose, partially or completely. Other risk factors for pediatric sleep apnea include:
- Down syndrome
- Skull or facial abnormalities
- Cerebral palsy
- Sickle cell disease
- Neuromuscular diseases
- History of low birth weight
- Family history of obstructive sleep apnea
Signs Your Child Is Suffering from Pediatric Sleep Apnea
During the day, does your child exhibit difficulty with learning or paying attention? At night, does your child seem to have restless, loud sleep? Parents might notice these types of abnormalities in their children’s behavior, however, they may not realize that the cause is related to sleep apnea. Children with sleep apnea often exhibit these symptoms while sleeping:
- Snoring
- Stops or pauses in breathing
- Restless or disturbed sleep
- Coughing, snorting or choking
- Breathing through the mouth
- Nighttime sweating
- Bed-wetting
- Sleep terrors
During the day, children that have sleep apnea often exhibit hyperactivity, impulse control problems, and difficulty with attention and concentration. Other daytime symptoms include:
- Poor performance in school
- Problems with learning
- Behavioral problems
- Poor weight gain
What Can Happen if Sleep Apnea Goes Untreated?
If a parent suspects their child suffers from sleep apnea, they must seek proper diagnosis and treatment as quickly as possible. Left untreated, or treated later, sleep apnea can lead to complications affecting a child’s health, as well as their physical, cognitive, and behavioral development. For example, sleep apnea in children can lead to high blood pressure. Difficulty learning or concentrating can lead to poor academic performance. There’s also the possibility that children exhibiting hyperactive activity are mistakenly diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
When Should I Seek A Pediatric Sleep Specialist?
If your child exhibits restless sleep, snoring, snorting, and consistently exhibits has behavioral and attention problems during the day, you should make an appointment with your pediatrician or a sleep medicine physician immediately for diagnosis and treatment.
Dr. Jeannine Gingras of Gingras Sleep Medicine has been treating children and adults with a variety of sleep problems and disorders since 1999. Her in-depth experience and exclusive sleep medicine practice have provided families all over South Carolina with effective and quality sleep medicine care. If you believe your child may have pediatric sleep apnea, be sure to seek expert care and treatment so they can start to get the quality, restful sleep they need for healthy development. Schedule an appointment to meet with Dr. Gingras by calling our office at (704) 944-0562 or by visiting our website at http://gingrassleepmedicine.com.