Does Your Child Have Sleep Apnoea? What You Need to Know

Sleep apnoea is becoming more of a common medical condition especially among children worldwide. Experts claim that this may be due to the recent childhood obesity epidemic. If you are a parent or a loved one who thinks that your child may have sleep apnoea, then this article from http://www.foxnews.com may be for you. The article offers the following insights:

• Obstructive sleep apnoea is a condition that causes the throat or upper airway to collapse, preventing oxygen from going through the lungs and causing shallow breathing or breathing pauses.

• Sleep apnoea can happen at any age, but it’s most common in children ages 3 to 7 and during middle school.  

• When kids are having the greatest growth compared to their height, that’s when they’re most at risk.

• While enlarged tonsils and adenoids are usually the culprit, obesity is also a major reason why kids get sleep apnoea.

• If they snore every night and they have observed laboured breathing, that would be cause for concern.

• Children with sleep apnoea may also be restless sleepers, wake up multiple times throughout the night, experience morning headaches and daytime sleepiness.

• Obstructive sleep apnoea has also been linked to attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, irritability and behavioral problems. Children with the condition are more likely to have learning problems and poor academic performance.

• Parents need to be aware that snoring is a medical condition. It’s important to have your child examined by his or her pediatrician who will look for enlarged tonsils and adenoids. From there, an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist will recommend the best course of action.

• Surgery is usually the best option for children with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, yet studies show that sleep apnoea can’t be diagnosed with a physical exam, so an overnight sleep study in a pediatric sleep laboratory is recommended.

• For children who don’t have enlarged tonsils or adenoids, or for whom surgery either isn’t appropriate or doesn’t cure the sleep apnoea, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask that opens the upper airway may help.

• If your child is overweight or obese, losing weight can greatly reduce sleep apnoea symptoms.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/10/27/does-your-child-have-sleep-apnoea-what-need-to-know/

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