Sleep Apnea in Children Symptoms and Treatment

Sleep apnea in children is becoming more and more common nowadays. While it is frustrating enough to have your husband snoring through out the night, it is even more disturbing to realize that your children might have the symptoms of sleep apnea as well. In this scenario, there are a few things that worth your attention here as it might be some signal to the health of your kids.

Research has shown that parents with snoring issues or sleep apnea symptoms are 3 times more likely to have sleep apnea in their children. In addition, children that suffered from the condition of asthma and allergies would be 2x more susceptible to develop sleep apnea symptoms. Medical research test have also shown that children with sleep apnea would be more likely to get ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) as compared to other normal kids. In terms of ethnicity, African American Children are 3x higher risk to develop sleep apnea than Asia and Caucasian.

If you happen to suspect sleep apnea in children, do not hesitate to consult your home doctor. Your physician should immediately diagnose the seriousness of sleep apnea in your children to prevent the situation from deteriorating. Even the symptoms might seems not significant at the initial stage, these type of sleep disorder might turn into major health consequences, such as major behaviorial changes, learning disabilities, and other heart-related problem. Early prevention would make a huge health impact to your children’s sleep apnea condition.

There are also other factors that you can check whether it is the cause of sleep apnea in your children. Recent studies have discovered that the head size might indicate some association with the sleep apnea pattern in children. Children with round head are more prone to develop sleep apnea compared to long thin shaped head.

Another indicator for sleep apnea in children would be obesity. If your children are overweight, they are having  higher risk of developing such symptoms. The enlarged neck size with surrounding fatty layers might narrow the air path of the throat, causing air flow problem.

Smoking might be another cause for sleep apnea in your children. Check whether they are constantly exposed under second hand smoking in their living environment and schools. Inhalation of too much smoke might cause their tonsils to be enlarged causing nasal blockage.

Some children would have symptoms of sleep apnea when they are ill. A common flu might cause a kid to snore until its cold is over. Pay attention to the sleep pattern of your kids to ensure that they are having adequate amount of good sleep every day. A prolonged period of insomnia might also develop sleep apnea in children.

In short, as a parent it is advisable for  you to discover the cause of sleep apnea in your children as soon as possible, either trying to correlate all the symptoms or bringing them for a complete diagnosis in hospital. Sleep apnea in children could very well related to their lifestyle, sleeping pattern, and other heath related issues. Preventing and treating sleep apnea at the early stage is crucial for your children’s wellness.