Sleep Apnea in Children

Adults that suffer from sleep apnea can attest to the marked effects that the affliction can have on their lifestyles. The adverse effects can become even more prevalent and intrusive when it is a child suffering from the disorder. A vast majority of children that suffer from sleep apnea do so as a result of enlarged tonsils, adenoids or other associated throat tissue. The excess tissue causes the child to stop breathing for short, but intrusive periods of time while the child is sleeping. In addition to relatively large glands and tissue, children with sleep apnea may be suffering due to them being infected or inflamed. Furthermore, the inflammation causes the glands to become larger, which in turn can cause more inflammation leading each cause to perpetuate the other.

When a child suffering from sleep apnea is having an episode, he or she will typically appear to be trying to breathe in that their chest will be rising and falling relatively normally. However, instead of bringing in air, he or she will appear to gasp fruitlessly as no air is reaching the lungs. As a result of sleep apnea episodes, the child will awaken from their sleep to adjust accordingly to find air. These episodes will continue throughout the night, causing the child to suffer from inadequate sleeping periods causing a host of problems that can crop up during their waking hours.

Symptoms frequently associated with sleep apnea in children include, but may not be limited to periods of restlessness during sleeping periods, breathing through the mouth more than what is considered normal, periods of not breathing at all even though it appears they are trying, loud or excessive snoring, sleepiness during the daytime, behavioral problems, hyperactivity, irritability, and the inability to focus.

Treatment for sleep apnea in children will naturally depend largely on the cause. Other factors that will determine the most appropriate treatment include the child’s medication tolerance, therapies, and procedures, the cause of the underlying condition, medical history, overall health of the child, and the child’s age. Since the most common cause of child sleep apnea is enlarged or inflamed adenoids and tonsils, surgery to remove or otherwise manipulate swollen tissue as well as appropriate medication to soothe any inflammation will likely be utilized. In the event that surgery does not fully treat the affliction, a medical mechanical device that creates an adequate path for air through the throat may be prescribed for wear during sleeping hours.