Sleep apneaChildren & sleep apnea
Doctors believe that up to one to three percent of otherwise healthy preschool-age children have obstructive sleep apnea. The most common cause of sleep apnea in children is large adenoids and tonsils. (The adenoids are a mass of tissue that connects the back of the nasal cavity to the throat.) When the throat muscles relax during sleep the adenoids and tonsils can block the airway.
The most common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea in children
- Snoring
- Noisy breathing while sleeping
- Gasping for air
- Very restless sleep and sleeping in strange positions
- Daytime sleepiness
- Attention problems/hyperactivity
- Problems in school
If your child has these symptoms talk to your doctor. Your doctor may order x-rays of your child's adenoids and tonsils. If you suspect your child may have sleep apnea, try videotaping him as he sleeps. Showing this video to your child's doctor can help him or her make a diagnosis.
Diagnosing sleep problems in children
The method of diagnosis for children and teens differs from adults. To assess a child for breathing problems, the doctor will:
- Take a complete history
- Do a physical exam
- Take x-ray to determine the size of adenoids and tonsils
- Refer your child to a sleep specialist
- Ask parents to videotape child sleeping
- Have child take polysomnography, a painless overnight sleep test conducted in a specialized sleep lab
It is important for the child to be videotaped during an overnight sleep test to see his body position for an accurate diagnosis.
Treating sleep apnea in children
Those children who have sleep apnea from enlarged tonsils can be helped by removing the tonsils. Once the
swelling from the surgery is gone the snoring and pauses in breathing usually stop and the child feels more
rested and energetic. Some children have a dramatic positive change in personality, school work and health. Other kids with sleep apnea may be treated with C.P.A.P., a special mask that keeps the airway open during sleep.
Poor nutrition, lack of exercise also affects kids' sleep
Obesity in children is a risk factor for sleep apnea and the rate of obesity in Canadian children is growing.This is partly from lack of exercise and partly from eating fatty foods.
Schools are looking at developing nutrition policies and offering better choices to prevent health problems
such as tooth decay, heart disease, diabetes Type 2 and sleep disorders. They recognize that well-nourished
students attend school more regularly, concentrate better, are more alert, less aggressive, less anxious,
and exhibit better behavior and social skills.
What you can do to prevent sleep apnea in children
Encourage you child or teen to exercise and eat healthy foods at home and support the school's nutrition
policies for healthy food at school.
Get a copy of Canada's Guide to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity.
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