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.
