Child Sleep Apnea

Child sleep apnea mostly occurs between the ages of 3 and 6 due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids. The most common type of sleep apnea that affects children is the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and this is the common type of apnea most parents experience nowadays.

Sleep apnea in children normally occur when the child is at sleep, then muscles in the walls of the throat relax and though this, walls fall down that causes to obstruct the flow of the air. After about 10 to 30 seconds, the child is in the lighter level of sleep or even a short wakefulness and the muscles tighten that relieves obstruction the cause the child to breathe again. That is how the child sleep apnea occurred.

The common signs and symptoms for the children that has sleep apnea includes, snoring, noisy breathing while at sleep, grasping of air, very restless sleep and to sleep in strange positions, daytime sleepiness, attention problem or hyperactivity and the child has problem in school. The ruthlessness of the symptoms may be gentle or severe.

There are certain danger involves when the child sleep apnea is not diagnosed it includes learning problems, developmental problems, behavioral problems and in some cases failure to grow, heart failures and high blood pressure. Through this also the child may become frustrated and depressed.

There are many options to treat this disorder for children. If the cause of sleep apnea is due to the enlarged tonsils this sleep condition may be treated by of removing the tonsils causing the apnea. With the surgery, the swelling or tonsillitis is gone that leads to absence of snoring and pauses of breathing in turn, the child becomes more rested and energetic upon waking up.

Another treatment for child sleep apnea is the CPAP. It is a special mask that enables the airway open during sleep and one of the common results after using this aid is a positive change in his personality which manifests in good school works and improved health. Child sleep apnea may be prevented if you let your child exercise and eat healthy foods.