Realizing that your child snores may not cause much concern; it may even seem benign. According to Andrew Lipton in his clinical review in "Sleep Medicine," however, snoring is a signal that a child may have obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Sleep apnea can cause problems while the child is awake as well as while asleep if it is not treated. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children be checked for snoring. If a child is found to snore regularly, a screening for obstructive sleep apnea is in order.
What is Snoring?
The number of children who snore ranges from eight to 27 percent of all children. Snoring is defined as noise made when tissues in the back of the throat relax and cause vibration when air moves past. It is called primary snoring when there are no problems like obstructive sleep apnea associated with it.
Causes of Snoring
Nasal congestion is often the culprit behind snoring. When the nose is filled with mucous, it prevents air from moving smoothly through the throat. If your child has a cold or allergies, don't be surprised if she snores. According to the National Sleep Foundation, obesity, asthma, and gastroenterological reflux disorder, as well as large tonsils and adenoids, can cause obstructive sleep apnea. Snoring is the most noticeable symptom of sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea
The National Sleep foundation defines obstructive sleep apnea as a breathing irregularity that occurs when relaxed tissues in the airway cause breathing to temporarily stop. The brain sends an alarm for the body to breathe. The child awakens slightly, and resumes normal breathing and deep sleep. The problem is that this can happen multiple times per night. Sleep apnea does not seem to cause daytime tiredness in children but it can oftentimes cause poor grades in school and behavioral problems. Blood pressure can become high and a failure to thrive has been noted in some cases.
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
A sleep study is used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea. It is officially called polysomnography. According to the Mayo Clinic, a sleep study requires an overnight stay in a sleep center. The room is private, quiet and comfortable to sleep in. A technologist attaches sensors and a clip onto one of the child's fingers before bed. While the child sleeps, technologists maintain a graph of the child's breathing patterns, oxygen levels and other measurements that will help with diagnosis. The patient can talk to a technologist at any time through a microphone.
Treatment
According to Lipton in "Sleep Medicine Reviews," the removal of tonsils and adenoids should be considered first when treating obstructive sleep apnea. The cure rate for this operation is 80 percent. CPAP, or continuous positive pressure ventilation, can be used to treat sleep apnea. CPAP is a machine that blows air through a mask and keeps airways open to prevent apnea episodes. In order for this treatment to be successful, the patient needs to be willing to sleep with the mask. For a treatment of primary snoring that does not cause breathing problems, steps to clear nasal congestion and elevating the child's head can be of help.
