Children & Snoring

The health risks associated with snoring and sleep apnea in adults are well documented, and the health risks involved with children who snore are now becoming better understood. Studies on sleep-disordered breathing in children suggest that 8-12% of children aged 2 to 8 have some form of habitual snoring. About 2-3.5% of children have obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder where a child stops breathing while they sleep. Even if your child does not suffer from sleep apnea, snoring may be a sign that he or she could have another underlying issue:

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome
(UARS) is when a child has difficulty breathing due to smaller than normal airway passages, causing him or her to wake up during sleep.
Hypoventilation
When a child is not getting enough air into their lungs but does not wake up during sleep.
Primary Snoring
When a child snores and lacks any of the usual signs of sleep-disordered breathing.

For children, sleep disordered breathing is usually present when a child has enlarged tonsils. Due to the rise of childhood obesity, pediatricians are reporting more cases of obstructive sleep apnea in children whose symptoms mimic adults with sleep apnea.

What are the signs of obstructive sleep apnea in children?

What are the risks of untreated sleep apnea in children?

How is sleep apnea in children treated?

How do I find out if my child has sleep apnea?

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