Should your child's snoring be a cause for concern?

Should your child’s snoring be a cause for concern?

Sarah Khan

20 Jan 2017

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10 Signs your child might have sleep apnea
Flick through our gallery to learn of some of the symptoms you can look out for to discern if your child might be suffering from 'sleep apnea'.
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Frequent nighttime sweating
If you notice your child frequently sweating in his or her sleep, it could be due to the overactivity of the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system during sleep, caused by low oxygen levels and the body's efforts to breathe against a blocked air passage.
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Inward movement of the ribecage and breastbone when breathing in
If you notice that your child's rib cage and breastbone moves distinctly inward, this might be a cause of concern as it suggests a vigorous effort to breathe in against a closed airway.
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Chronically wets their bed
Several pediatric studies have discovered a high incidence of sleep apnea among chronic bedwetters. Sleep disordered breathing in children should be considered if you observe a frequent, unexplained bedwetting tendency in your little one.
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Unusual sleep positions
Observe your child's sleeping positions. A hyperactive extension of the neck is particularly common among children with sleep apnea as it helps to keep their airway open.
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Hyperactivity and inattentiveness in school
Keep your eye out on your child's behaviour in school. Children with sleep apnea are often misdiagnosed as having ADHD. A medical screening, one that involves discussing their snoring habits, can help accurately diagnose them and, in some cases, avoid unnecessary medications used for ADHD.
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Frequent sleepwalking and night terrors
Research has shown that sleep apnea can cause both frequent sleepwalking and night terrors among children. In fact, a study conducted at Stanford found that the majority of children who were prone to sleepwalking and also had sleep apnea stopped sleepwalking once they began treatment for their sleep apnea.
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Down Syndrome
Studies have revealed that between 40% and 70% of all children with Down Syndrome suffer from sleep apnea. If untreated, it can severely affect their health and mental development.
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Obesity
Recent studies have shown that as many as 30% of obese children may have sleep apnea. If untreated, sleep apnea can further increase the already-high likelihood of developing conditions like hypertension, insulin resistance, and associated metabolic disorders. Furthermore, it can also hinder their ability to lose weight.
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Pediatric hypertension
Pediatric hypertension is a condition of abnormally high blood pressure among children. If your child suffers from hypertension, bring them to a doctor and have them screened for the presence of sleep apnea.
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Morning headaches
If your child complains of morning headaches when he wakes up, it could be due to the low oxygen levels and elevated blood pressure during sleep.

10 Signs your child might have sleep apnea

Is your child’s snoring completely out of habit, or could it have health implications you should be concerned about?

If you’ve noticed that your little one has been snoring during his or her sleep lately, you’re right to be concerned. While it could mean that your child is simply prone to ‘habitual snoring’, it could also be suggestive of grave health conditions like sleep apnea. Pediatric sleep apnea is a serious condition that could adversely affect your child’s growth, cardiovascular health, and emotional and cognitive development. It is a sleeping disorder that occurs when your child’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. Children with sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep – sometimes up to hundreds of times – meaning that the brain and body are not getting enough oxygen.

How do you discern, then, whether your child’s snores are normal or a cause for concern? There are symptoms and other physical signs you can note that might be indicative of something serious; for instance, if your child chronically wets his bed, tends to sleepwalk or wakes up with a morning headache. Head up to our gallery above for 10 signs to look out for in deciding if your child’s snores are completely normal or require medical evaluation.

Sarah Khan

Photo: GettyImages

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