Is It Possible for Children to Have Sleep Apnea?
Are you concerned about your child’s nighttime breathing? Do they exhibit loud snoring or heavy breathing while asleep? It’s crucial to consider the possibility of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This condition is often misdiagnosed or completely undiagnosed due to its similar symptoms to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Such conditions can impact your child’s daytime energy, attention span, and learning process.
At the Center for Dental Sleep Health, our Nashua, NH, sleep dentist, Dr. Stephen Ura, understands the importance of accurate diagnoses for children’s health.
How Many Children Are Diagnosed with Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea affects approximately one to four percent of children between the ages of two and eight years old. Surprisingly, nearly 25 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD are actually suffering from sleep apnea and have been misdiagnosed.
Misdiagnosing Sleep Apnea and ADHD
If your child has received an ADHD diagnosis, it becomes crucial to consider the possibility of a misdiagnosis. Seeking the expertise of a sleep pediatrician can help uncover your child’s true condition. Their behavioral issues may stem from a fragmented sleep pattern, and the only reliable way to confirm this is through a comprehensive sleep study.
Signs to Look Out For
Sleep apnea isn’t as easily recognized in children as it is in adults and can be harder to identify. Typically, an adult with OSA is overweight and has bad habits that negatively impact their overall health and sleep.
For children, the most common factor associated with their OSA is enlarged tonsils and adenoids. Early signs you may notice include:
- Snoring or pauses in their breath
- Snorting or gasping during sleep
- Heavy breathing
- Behavioral issues
- Bedwetting
- Sleepwalking
- Daytime sleepiness
Health Threats and Risk Factors
As many children are often misdiagnosed with ADHD rather than OSA, this means they’re not receiving effective treatment for their condition. Medications for ADHD may help with behavioral and learning problems, but they won’t allow children to achieve the quality of sleep they need.
Untreated pediatric sleep apnea can lead to major health issues such as heart complications, diabetes, growth development, and obesity. Other risk factors that may increase your child’s risk for OSA include:
- A family history of OSA
- History of low birth weight
- Down syndrome
- Cerebral palsy
- Sickle cell disease
- Neuromuscular disease
Getting The Right Diagnosis for Your Child
The first step in officially diagnosing pediatric sleep apnea is to find an experienced sleep doctor who can conduct a comprehensive sleep study. At the Center for Dental Sleep Health, Dr. Ura can refer your child to a sleep specialist for this purpose.
During the sleep study, your child will be closely monitored overnight by the doctor. They will record important indicators such as brain wave activity, breathing patterns, snoring, oxygen levels, heart rate, and muscle activity. This thorough evaluation will provide valuable insights into your child’s condition.
Finding Treatment for Your Child
As many children are often misdiagnosed with ADHD rather than OSA, this means they’re not receiving effective treatment for their condition. Medications for ADHD may help with behavioral and learning problems, but they won’t allow children to achieve the quality of sleep they need.
If your child has been officially diagnosed with sleep apnea, several treatments may be recommended depending on their case. If large tonsils are the reason for their disrupted sleep, your kid may need minor surgery to have them removed.
Another treatment that may be recommended is a CPAP mask. If your child is a mild-to-moderate sleep apnea sufferer, they may find an oral appliance to be a more comfortable and convenient alternative. Dr. Ura can custom-craft a small mouthpiece that fits snugly to their mouth and allows your child to sleep soundly through the night without any interruptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my child has sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea can be hard to notice in children due to their shared symptoms with ADHD. However, one of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea in children is snoring.
Children suffering from sleep apnea may also toss and turn throughout the night, as well as stop breathing for long periods. While not all children end up dealing with sleep apnea their whole lives, the immediate effects can be significant, so make sure to address the condition as soon as possible.
Is it common for children to develop sleep apnea?
Even though older adults are more prone to developing sleep apnea, no one is immune to the disorder. A small percentage of children do suffer from sleep apnea. While some grow out of it after fully developing, others will end up with sleep apnea for life unless they seek proper treatment.
Can sleep apnea in children be prevented?
While some risk factors for sleep apnea, such as craniofacial abnormalities or genetic factors, cannot be prevented, maintaining a healthy weight and promoting good sleep hygiene can reduce the risk. Regular dental check-ups and monitoring your child’s sleep patterns can also help detect and address sleep apnea at an early stage.
Are there any long-term effects of childhood sleep apnea?
If left untreated, childhood sleep apnea can have long-term effects on a child’s health and development. It can impact their cognitive abilities, academic performance, behavior, and overall quality of life. Timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial in minimizing these potential long-term effects.
Schedule Your Consultation With Dr. Ura Today
If you feel your child may be suffering from sleep apnea, we’re here to help. To learn more about sleep apnea in children and to schedule an appointment with Dr. Ura, call our Nashua office at (603) 237-1124.
You can also request more information by filling out our online contact form, and a staff member will get back to you shortly. We welcome patients in Hudson, Merrimack, and Milford, NH.