What You Need To Know
Many children snore. According to the American Sleep Association, it is estimated that between 3% and 12% of preschool age children snore. The majority of these children are healthy, without other symptoms, and have what is referred to as primary snoring.
Other children that snore, about 2% by some estimates, have what is known as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), a condition that is now recognized as the leading cause of behavior problems in children.
Thanks to a recent guideline from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Diagnosis and Management of Childhood Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, Pediatricians more readily recognize, diagnosis and treat children with OSAS. But how do you know if your child is a primary snorer or if he has OSAS?
Children with primary snoring are usually healthy and do not exhibit daytime sleepiness. Children with OSAS, however, usually have disrupted sleep with short 'pauses, snorts, or gasps' in their sleep. This disrupted sleep may also lead to behavioral problems, a short attention span and problems at school.
Other signs or symptoms might include:
large tonsils and/or adenoids with frequent mouth breathing, hyponasal
speech and nasal obstruction
poor weight gain
being overweight
high blood pressure
If you suspect that your child may be afflicted with OSAS, there is testing that can be done, including an overnight sleep study or nocturnal polysomnography. Unfortunately, it may be hard to find a hospital or center that does pediatric sleep studies unless you live in a large metropolitan area. Consult with your pediatritian for more information on available sleep studies.
Once you and your pediatrician have determined that your child has obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, it will be time to discuss treatment options, which usually include removing enlarged adenoids and tonsils (adenotonsillectomy). Other treatments might include:
treating a child's allergies
helping overweight children lose weight
CPAP therapy with a nasal mask is another treatment option for children who can't have surgery or who continue to have obstructive sleep apnea after their adenoids and tonsils are removed.
Doctors that specialize in treating children with OSAS include:
pediatric otolaryngologists (ENT specialist)
pulmonologists
neurologists
If your child is positively diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, you will need to see one of these doctors. Be sure to find one that has experience taking care of children with this problem
Remember to be especially suspicious that your child may have OSA if he regularly snores and has apnea, daytime sleepiness, and/or exhibits school and behavioral problems.
Reference: Clinical Practice Guideline: Diagnosis and Management of Childhood Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, Pediatrics. 2002;109:704-712.
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