Could your child be suffering from sleep apnea?

My husband and I became aware of the seriousness of this problem when we noticed our 3 year old son, Joey, was snoring. At first we thought it was kind of cute, but then we began to worry – it seemed that he just wasn’t getting enough sleep. Joey was always tired, and cranky, and just didn’t seem to behave as well as he used to.

Another thing that we noticed (being dentists, this one was easy) – his bite was forming improperly! His lower jaw seemed small, and his bite seemed really deep – not the way a 3 year old’s bite should be!

We started looking more carefully, and soon realized he had all the classic signs of a child who was having a hard time breathing – the dark circles under his eyes, the mouth that was always open, the loud, labored breathing during sleep… the list of problems seemed endless.

We scheduled an appointment with an ENT, who confirmed our suspicions – our son was suffering from sleep problems due to enlarged adenoids! Reluctantly, we made the scary decision to have the adenoids taken out. Following the longest 30 minutes of our life, the surgeon came out from the OR and told us that Joey’s airway was 90 percent obstructed! He could not breathe!! Shocked, and extremely grateful, we took our son home, hoping to see signs of improvement within the next few weeks.

The night following the surgery, as we watched Joey sleeping, we noticed the total silence in his room. The next morning, he woke up, we could immediately see a huge difference. Cheerful and happy, he appeared to have finally gotten the sleep he needs. Within a few weeks, the circles under his eyes slowly disappeared, his behavior improved, he started speaking better – overall, he seemed like a different child!

For me, it was easy to notice the signs and symptoms of this scary disorder, because I knew what to look for. But what exactly is sleep apnea, and how do you know your child may be suffering from it?

Sleep apnea is a very serious disorder that occurs when breathing is disrupted during sleep. The airway becomes blocked, resulting in choking that causes a slower heart rate and increased blood pressure, alerting your child’s brain and causing him to wake up.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

• snoring
• behavioral changes (due to a lack of sleep, the child may be more cranky, have more or less energy, and have difficulty concentrating in school or following directions)
• increased bed wetting
• slowed growth
• attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• breathing difficulty
• heart trouble
• dark circles under the child’s eyes
• improper facial development (deep bite, open mouth breathing, small, underdeveloped mandible)

What causes sleep apnea?

In children, there are several physical reasons that sleep apnea may occur, including:

• enlarged tonsils and adenoids
• abnormalities of the jaw bone and tongue
• overweight children (extra fat around neck and throat blocks airway, making it difficult for these children to sleep)

Why is it important to diagnose sleep apnea?

If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to more serious problems, so it is important to diagnose it early and treat it appropriately.

If you think that your child may be suffering from sleep apnea, or is experiencing any of the above symptoms, don’t wait – call us today and let us help you establish a proper diagnosis.

If you have any questions, please contact us at (702) 341-9597, or you can email me directly at olya@banchikdental.com.

Comments are closed.