- Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of a child's throat relax, causing the soft tissues to collapse and block the airway. This airway blockage results in either partial or total pauses in a child's breathing, usually during the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep. Adults with sleep apnea usually awaken briefly many times a night in response to these pauses in breathing. However, children with sleep apnea typically sleep through the night without awakening or a disruption in sleep pattern, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
- Although sleep apnea can affect children of any age, the disorder seems to be most common in preschoolers between the ages of 3 and 6, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. During this age range, the tonsils and adenoids are large in comparison to the throat--increasing the risk of obstructions that can lead to sleep apnea. Children who are obese seem to be at greater risk for developing the disorder, according to the National Institutes of Health.
- Snoring is the most common symptom in children with sleep apnea, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. In fact, many children with sleep apnea have a history of snoring that may be loud and cause the child to snort and/or gasp for air during noticeable pauses in breathing. In some children, a partial obstruction of the airway may result in a pattern of continuous snoring with no outward signs of breathing trouble during sleep. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, many children with sleep apnea also assume unusual positions during sleep such as sleeping sitting up or with the neck hyper-extended. They may also sweat excessively, awaken with headaches and experience bed-wetting and sleep terrors. While most children with sleep apnea have normal breathing patterns when they are awake, they often have a tendency to breathe through their mouths and experience frequent upper respiratory tract infections. Other symptoms may include excessive daytime sleepiness, hyperactivity and a rib cage that moves noticeably inward when they inhale.
- Left untreated, sleep apnea can cause serious health problems in children, including abnormal blood pressure and insulin resistance, according to the National Institutes of Health. These conditions can lead to serious health problems in adulthood, such as heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. In addition, sleep apnea can slow your child's growth rate and result in several behavioral and cognitive problems such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), aggressive behavior and poor academic performance.
- If your child's doctor suspects sleep apnea, he or she may recommend that your child undergo an overnight sleep study--called a polysomnogram--to confirm the diagnosis. This noninvasive test requires an overnight stay in a hospital or sleep clinic. During the study, a doctor or nurse will measure your child's breathing, heart rate and brain waves during sleep. The most common treatment for sleep apnea in children is the surgical removal of the adenoids and tonsils--called an adenotonsillectomy. This procedure increases the size of the upper airway and allows most children to breathe normally again, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. In children who are overweight or obese, losing weight is recommended in combination with other treatment options.
