Generally, sleep apnea is associated with overweight adults. However, you would be surprised to know that children can suffer from sleep apnea too. Parents have to be vigilant to pick up the early signs and symptoms of such a clinical entity.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is likely if breathing stops for at least 10 seconds at a time during sleep. This is an indication that your child’s blood is not properly oxygenated. Your child is still growing and developing, even when their body is at rest. Sleep, growth, and performance in school can be impacted by sleep apnea. Both learning and behavior can be affected with sleep apnea. As the most common form of sleep apnea in children, obstructive sleep apnea occurs when something blocks or “obstructs” the airway while sleeping.
Does My Child Have Sleep Apnea?
– Overweight – Large tongue – Sleep apnea family history – Down syndrome – Mouth or throat defects – Cerebral palsy
Symptoms of Sleep Apnea in Children – Sleepiness during the day – Snoring or snorting – While sleeping, experience heavy breathing – Trouble waking up in the morning – Behavioral problems
– Bed wetting
Sleep Apnea Testing & Diagnosis
Possible causes of the obstruction are looked for during the ENT examination. The doctor may order a sleep study to monitor their breathing while they sleepy. A diet and exercise program to help your child lose weight safely, may be recommended, if the doctor believes the sleep apnea is caused from being overweight. More often than not, an enlargement of the tonsils or adenoids is the most common reason for sleep apnea in children. Surgical removal will be recommended treatment options if the ENT surgeon determines that your child’s tonsils or adenoids are the main cause of the obstruction.
Tonsillectomy, Adenoidectomy as Sleep Apnea Treatments
To permanently correct pediatric sleep apnea, tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy is the answer in many situations. The airways are open day and night by removing the cause of the blockage. Within six months of surgery, the studies show that 75% of children with sleep apnea will have a reduction of episodes. The surgery is performed by the ENT specialist at the hospital and complete recovery is expected to take around a week.
#SLEEPAPNEA, #CHILDREN, #OXYGENATED #OVERWEIGHT, #LARGETONGUE #CEREBRALPALSY, #SNORING, #ADENOIDS, #TONSILLECTOMY, #ADENOIDECTOMY, #PEDIATRIC
KEYWORDS: SLEEP APNEA, CHILDREN, OXYGENATED, OVERWEIGHT, LARGE TONGUE CEREBRAL PALSY, SNORING, ADENOIDS, TONSILLECTOMY, ADENOIDECTOMY, PEDIATRIC
For further queries about the infections, diseases, and treatments of the ear, nose or throat, Dr Mohanty’s Speciality ENT Clinics in Chennai, India can help in a number of ways,
Dr Mohanty’s Speciality ENT Clinics
Manapakkam, Chennai, India.
For Consultation: +91 97910 74677
Comments