A KID'S SNORE
According to experts, 3% to 12% of children in preschool age snore. However, this is just primary snoring since these children are healthy and are examined to be negative of any major medical symptoms. But, 2% of these children are found to have obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). We may think that a kid's snore sounds cute and funny but habitual snoring can lead to more serious problems. This disorder might also lead to more social, intellectual, and physical problems of a child, such as bed-wetting, irritability and poor academic performance and other learning disabilities.
Habitual snoring in children can be attributed to three factors: a small airway or a small jaw, poorly integrated muscles and nerves, and enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids. It is just a simple condition if your child snores but is generally healthy, not excessively sleepy during daytime, and whose sleeping patterns that are normal and consistent. Disrupted sleep is one characteristic of OSAS. These children usually report that they sleep with 'pauses, stops or gaps'. Limited attention span and other behavioral problems at school may also indicate severe snoring and sleep apnea. Other symptoms that parents should look out for include, but are not limited to, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, frequent mouth breathing, nasal obstruction, less weight gain and being overweight.
To determine whether your child has sleep apnea or not, you can ask an expert to administer some tests. Nocturnal polysomnography, or an overnight sleep study, can be an excellent option but may be difficult to secure due to the limited number of hospitals or centers catering to pediatric sleep studies, especially if you are residing in a rural locality. Recording your child's sleep on video or audio is also an option and will need to be interpreted and evaluated by an expert. An overnight pulse oximetry can also be used to measure the level of oxygen while your child is asleep. However, you should not rely solely on the results of a single test. Second opinion or further tests might be necessary.
After an expert has diagnosed your child of OSAS, treatment options will now be discussed. The more complicated treatment for children is to take out the enlarged adenoids or tonsils. This procedure is referred to as adenotonsillectomy. Weight loss behavioral measures and techniques will also be an alternative for overweight or obese children. It will also help if the allergies of a child will be treated or overcome. Another alternative is a night-time mask treatment, called the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), appropriate for children who cannot undergo surgery or who have undergone surgery but still suffers from the same predicament.
The specialists you need to consult once your child has been diagnosed for OSAS would include pediatric otolaryngologists, pulmonologists and neurologists.