Even though sleep apnea generally involves the older population, it’s likewise experienced by kids usually under the ages three to six.
If it continues undiagnosed and untreated, it leaves the kids with learning problems, poor academic performance, mood and behavior troubles, poor interpersonal abilities, developmental delays, high blood pressure and heart problems.
A common sleep disorder, sleep apnea occurs when the person stops breathing for brief periods that average 30 seconds and is caused by an obstruction in the airway. In kids, the vast majority of the cases of sleep apnea result from enlarged tonsils and adenoids, sometimes due to infection.
However, the narrowing of the airways induced by facial and structural disfiguration can in addition be the cause. It can be that the children are born with a smaller jaw, larger tongue, and smaller opening of the throat. Children who have structural deformities in the jaw, nose, mouth, could have bad muscle tone, placing them more at risk for developing sleep apnea.
The presence of a tumor anywhere in the airway diminishes the muscle tone and can cause a blockage and add to the event of sleep apnea. Obesity can in addition be the result in even though this is relatively rare.Manifestations
The foremost symptom of loud and heavy snoring in children is the same as with adults. But since 10 to 20 percent of children snore at some point, even without the presence of sleep apnea, it is essential for the parents to seek other indications.
Other manifestations include breathing through the mouth, bed wetting, odd sleeping postures, extraordinary sweating while sleeping, hyperactivity, excessive drowsiness, short attention span, aggressiveness, and conduct problems.
Kids affected might not develop as rapidly as others their age, have problems in school and have encounter learning problems.
Unlike adults who have the leaning to get overweight, kids with sleep apnea are generally thin and might go through weight loss. The cause of this is since eating becomes painful because of the obstruction in the airway, particularly in the nose and throat area. Extraordinary breathing patterns may indicate they are burning calories at a quicker rate than normal.
Interventions
Where enlarged tonsils and adenoids are the reason, then a tonsillectomy or an adenoidectomy are the probable course of action with kids.
The continuous positive airway pressure device (CPAP) will be prescribed for those kids who won’t gain from a surgical procedure or may develop ramifications from it. This is a nose mask connected to a contraption that forces pressurized air and keeps the airway clear.
Sleep apnea in children requires instant medical attention so if parents think their children have this sleep disorder, they need to see a physician or a sleep specialist
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Friday, August 14th, 2009 at 11:30 am under
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