Central Sleep Apnea In Children

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, if your child snores it could be a wake up call. Early in 2008 the academy issued new recommendations asking pediatricians to screen children for snoring because it could be a sign of a serious condition.

For affected children after they go to sleep, that is when the real problems begin, a symphony of snoring. Especially after they have had a hard day play and work the children tend to sleep deeper and snore louder. Parenting magazine says figuring out why your children snore takes a little detective work.

The two most common causes that have been identified in children are first and fore most, nasal allergies. A stuff nose will obstruct airflow. The second cause is the more dangerous one, a condition called sleep apnea. This is when a child has fifteen second pauses between breathing followed by a real loud catch up breath. Another clue to this disorder, is your child being very tired the next morning.

The most common cause of sleep apnea in children is enlarged tonsils that are blocking the airways. So you probably will need medical attention to solve the problem. If you suspect nasal allergies to be the cause, the best thing you can do is make sure the nose is clean before bedtime.

A steamy bath and hair washing will both open up the nasal passages and remove any allergens. You may also want to spritz saline solution to keep the nose moist. You could also try make the child sleep on his side to see if that prevents his tongue from interfering with his breathing.


Source : ReadBud