Loud snoring in children occurs when air flow vibrates against tissue at the back of the throat. While occasional snoring may be normal for children, loud and habitual---occurring more than three to four times a week---is not. This can be an indication of anything from a simple cold to obstructive sleep apnea.
Causes
There are a number of causes for loud snoring in children. Having allergies or nasal obstructions such as a deviated septum, enlarged tonsils or adenoids may cause snoring, in addition to having a cold or exposure to secondhand smoke. Obese children are three times more likely to snore than normal weight children, according to a 2010 study published by the American College of Chest Physicians." If your child snores loud on a regular basis, she may have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition that can cause serious implications if not treated properly.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
About three percent of children suffer from OSA, which is characterized by a pause in breathing for 10 seconds or more during sleep. OSA causes a lack of sleep, which results in the child being tired and irritable throughout the day. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children who snore see a doctor to determine if they have normal primary snoring or obstructive sleep apnea.
Statistics
Loud snoring is a common condition, affecting about 11 to 12 percent of children between one and nine years old in the U.S., according to Medical News Today. While there are many reasons for this, one of them is that children's throats are very small compared to their tonsils. This peaks at about age five to seven, causing the airways to be partially obstructed and resulting in snoring.
Treatment
If your child has a primary snoring problem, treating the underlying conditions that are causing the snoring will help your child snore less often and sleep better. For example, decongestants and antihistamines may help a cold or allergies and result in less snoring. Getting tonsils or adenoids removed may help your child breathe better and snore less. If your child has OSA and cannot have surgery to remove their tonsils, they may need continuous positive airway pressure therapy, which is a nasal mask that helps children breathe easier at night.
Significance
Loud habitual snoring in children can result in a number of significant problems, from bed wetting to poor school performance. Some children who snore are misdiagnosed with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder because they are unable to concentrate during the day. In addition to behavioral problems, long-term snoring can lead to craniofacial changes, such as a deformed lower jaw, which can cause even more upper airway obstruction and OSA.
