Children Snoring - Sleeping Problems In Children

A Brief Overview On Children Snoring

Do you know that about 3% to 12% of preschool kids snore? A majority of these children are normal and don't show any signs or symptoms of ill health or other health complications. While 2% of the total children found snoring may have serious problems and their snoring may contribute to other problems. So, it is important to pay proper attention to children snoring as it may affect them.

Snoring is a sleeping disorder which may be prevalent due to many factors. A child may normally snore due to bad position of sleeping. But this would certainly be an occasional occurrence. But if it is consistent and snoring is chronic then its time you take extra care and consult a doctor. Your child may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) which is a condition where the child never gets sound sleep. Disturbed sleep would then affect the over all health of the child.

A recent study from the American Academy of Pediatrics has shown that if a child is a normal snorer and doesn't suffer from OSAS then he or she would show no other symptoms of this disorder. On the other hand if a child snores due to OSAS he would show certain symptoms such a more daytime sleepiness, disruption in sleep, waking up at irregular intervals and then again going to sleep.

A child with sleep apnea will also show behavioral problems, lack of attentiveness, and other problems like poor weight gain or more weight gain, large tonsils with mouth breathing, fast heart rate and much more. Parents must be very careful to observe such syndromes in child who snore. Even if they do not find such symptoms they must visit a pediatric clinic to confirm whether the child is suffering from any related disorder. If your baby is newborn and shows snoring syndrome you must immediately consult a doctor for treatment. What are the causes of snoring in children?

The snoring can be the result of 3 things. The first reason may be enlarged adenoids or tonsils. The second reason may be defective anatomical structure like small airway passage or jaw that blocks air. While the third may be the nerves or muscles which control the movement of jaws and air passage are not integrated enough for smoother air passage.

Parents must take immediate steps to cure sleeping disorders in children because in the long run snoring can lead to other problems like mood swings, less attention, weakness, to name a few. A doctor will apply the effective remedies for this disorder. If they find this disorder due to large adenoids or tonsils then they would remove the enlarged portion by a process called adenotonsillectomy.

If snoring is due to anatomical problems they may use medical devices or other treatment options to correct the disorder. So, parents must take immediate steps if they find their children snoring and showing any of the above mentioned symptoms. You can consult pediatric otolaryngologists for finding a solution to the problem of snoring.