Potential Signs of Pediatric Sleep Disordered Breathing and Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea:
- Snoring
- Mouth Breathing
- Restless sleep pattern
- Periods of Apnea (pausing in breathing)
- Gasping and Choking in sleep
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating in school
- Hyperactive or inattentive behavior during the day
- Bed wetting
- Poor growth
The culprit for sleep disordered breathing in children is usually enlargement of the tonsils and adenoids. When a child reaches deep levels of sleep, the airway relaxes, allowing enlarged adenoids to block the nasal passages. If large tonsils fall into the back of the throat, breathing can be obstructed. Surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids, otherwise known as tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy is generally considered the first line treatment. Not every child with snoring should undergo tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy unless potential risks exist. Most patients exhibit a dramatic improvement after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, however additional treatments such as weight loss, use of continuous positive airway pressure, or additional surgical procedures may sometimes be required.
If you notice that your child has any of the above symptoms, a physician should evaluate them. Sometimes physicians will make a diagnosis of sleep disorders based on history and a physical examination. In other cases, additional testing such as a sleep test may be recommended. A sleep study is an objective test for sleep-disordered breathing and is generally preformed in a sleep laboratory or hospital.
The doctors at Advanced Ear, Nose & Throat Care (“otolaryngologists”) diagnose and treat conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea in adults, infants and children. We are located in Fairfield County, Connecticut towns of Danbury, New Milford, Norwalk, Ridgefield and Southbury.