According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 2 percent of all children--from babies to teens--experience snoring due to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and between 3 and 12 percent of preschoolers snore for other reasons. Snoring causes serious problems; studies have shown it reduces children's sleep quality, leads to daytime sleepiness and interferes with growth. Allergen avoidance, surgery and continuous positive airway pressure can help many children rest easier.
Allergen Avoidance
Snoring may occur in children with allergies. Exposure to tobacco smoke, dust mites, pet dander or cockroach allergen can cause airways and nasal passages to swell, leading to congestion and breathing difficulties. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children who snore avoid indoor allergens and undergo treatment for hay fever, sometimes referred to as rhinitis. Indoor allergen control often involves washing bedding and stuffed animals in hot water weekly, removing carpets and curtains from the child's bedroom and keeping pets out of the child's bedroom. Doctors treat rhinitis in children with medicines and allergy shots.
Surgery
Snoring in children is often related to sleep apnea, or brief cessations of breathing during sleep. A tonsillectomy, or adenoidectomy, often cures sleep apnea and childhood snoring, according to Hoag Hospital's Sleep Disorders Center. Before undergoing either of these surgeries, children should have a complete physical examination by a doctor to rule out other health problems, and undergo polysomnography, commonly called a sleep study.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or CPAP
Children whose snoring persists or who snore even after having tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy may require a continuous positive airway pressure device, commonly known as a CPAP. Before going to sleep, the child wears a tight-fitting mask over the nose and mouth and pressure from the CPAP machine helps hold the airways open, eliminating snoring and making it easier to breathe. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a CPAP machine improves sleep quality and reduces snoring and daytime sleepiness, a common problem in children who snore.
Weight Loss
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that overweight children with sleep disorders lose weight as part of a strategy to manage their snoring. Being overweight increases the amount of tissue in the throat that can obstruct breathing during sleep. However, while a child is in the process of losing weight, the American Academy of Pediatrics cautions parents and clinicians not to overlook other strategies--such as allergen avoidance and use of a CPAP machine--to manage sleep apnea and snoring.
Nasal Strips
Buyer beware: According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, over-the-counter nasal strips and oral sprays marketed to relieve snoring are not effective at relieving apnea in children.
References
- Pediatrics; Diagnosis and Management of Childhood Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome; April 2002
- KidsHealth: Sleep Apnea
- Hoag Hospital Sleep Disorders Center: Snoring in Children
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: What Is CPAP?
- American Academy of Pediatrics Senior Bulletin; Sleep Apnea--A Wake-up Call?; Bill Melbane; June 2006
