“My child is snoring. Could it be sleep apnea?”
Pediatric sleep apnea is a condition in which a sleeping child stops breathing for 20 seconds or longer several times each hour. Sleep apnea can prevent your child from getting the sleep they need to perform well in school, be active on the playground, and get along with others.
Fortunately, you can take steps to help your child overcome sleep apnea and other sleep issues with a little help from your sleep apnea dentist in Columbus.
Three main types of sleep apnea exist:
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type, especially in children. Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles at the back of the child’s throat relax too much, allowing their airway to collapse partially or completely. A collapsed airway reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the child’s brain, which reacts by waking the child up a little bit.
Central sleep apnea (CSA) happens when the brain does not send the correct signals to the muscles that cause breathing. As its name suggests, combined sleep apnea is a combination of OSA and CSA.
All types of sleep apnea take your child out of a deep sleep dozens of times every night, which means your child is not getting the restful deep sleep they need to feel good and function well during the day.
Sleep apnea isn’t always easy to spot (that is, unless you happen to watch your child sleep and notice that they frequently stop and start breathing). What’s more, the symptoms of pediatric sleep apnea are different from are the symptoms of adult sleep apnea.
In some cases, you may notice the effects of sleep apnea, such as:
Infants and young children may not snore, but instead have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or other forms of disturbed sleep. During the day, a child with sleep apnea may be cranky, unfocused, and tired. They may perform poorly in school, be hyperactive, or have learning or behavioral problems.
Topical nasal steroid spray can help reduce breathing pauses in children with mild pediatric OSA. Allergy medications may also help if your child has allergies that cause respiratory symptoms.
A child with severe sleep apnea may benefit from an adenotonsillectomy, a procedure in which a surgeon removes the patient’s tonsils and adenoids.
Keep kids away from indoor allergens and pollutants, as these can increase the risk of congestion and sleep apnea. As always, keep your children’s air free from tobacco smoke.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) therapy features a small machine that blows air through a tube and into a mask that your child wears over their mouth or nose. The pressure of the air moves to the back of your child’s throat, where it holds their airway open.
Losing weight may help treat sleep apnea in your child. Excess weight can lead to the development of fatty deposits in the neck and tongue, which can reduce the flow of air into your child’s lungs. Losing abdominal fat can also help increase lung volume, which is the amount of air your child’s lungs can hold. Weight loss can also promote elasticity of the lungs that holds the airway open and keeps it from collapsing.
Your healthcare team can help you create a weight-loss plan for your child.
A sleep apnea dentist may recommend an oral appliance or dental device that helps expand the roof of your child’s mouth and nasal passages. The oral appliances may also move your child’s tongue and bottom jaw forward a bit to help keep the airway open.
For more information on what to do if your child has sleep apnea, connect with Hines Little Smiles Pediatric Dentistry. Our sleep apnea dentist specializes in pediatric dentistry, so we can help your little one get the restful sleep they need to learn, play, and have fun!
Call 614-475-5439 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.
