April 4, 2002
The next time you bring your child for a checkup, don't be surprised if the doctor asks if she snores.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released new guidelines encouraging doctors to routinely screen all children for snoring. That's because snoring may be a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, a common childhood condition that could lead to sleep disturbances, learning and behavior problems, and sometimes slow growth and bedwetting.
As many as 3% of children have obstructive apnea, but experts say the figure could be even higher because the condition often goes undiagnosed.
Obstructive sleep apnea is usually caused when enlarged tonsils and adenoids partially block a child's upper airway. This is most likely to happen during sleep because that's when the soft tissue at back of the throat is most relaxed. The result is loud snoring and brief pauses in breathing (apnea). Other symptoms include labored breathing or gasping for air during sleep, sleeping in unusual positions, and changes in skin color.
Children whose sleep is continuously disrupted often wake up tired and irritable. This sleepiness often persists into the day, and as many parents and teachers can attest, over-fatigue in children can quickly turn to hyperactivity. At school, these kids may perform poorly and may even be labeled with attention or behavior problems. Studies have shown that many children who have obstructive sleep apnea were misdiagnosed with ADHD or other learning problems.
So what should you do if your child snores?
First, tell your child's doctor about it so he or she can start an evaluation. You might even want to keep a "sleep log" noting your child's sleep patterns. If school performance has been a concern, also speak with your child's teacher about behavior and attention span.
In order to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea, your child's doctor may order an overnight sleep study. If the condition is confirmed, surgery will most likely be performed to remove the adenoids and tonsils. Although no parent likes the thought of their child undergoing surgery, there is good news: symptoms (including attention and learning difficulties) almost always resolve after the operation.
