Children can also snore and suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. Often they are highly allergic and their airway is blocked due to enlarged adenoids, tonsils or swollen nasal mucosa. The snoring or labored breathing can also be due to structural problems of the jaw and teeth. Sleep Disordered Breathing ranges in severity, from snoring to different digrees of airway obstruction. This is why it is important to have a dentist trained in SDB to evaluate the situation. Some of the things to pay attention to at home are:

• Abnormal sleep position
• Restless slseep
• Difficulty waking up, even with enough sleep
• bed-wetting,
• headaches during the day
• stop breathing during the night, followed by waking up, choking or gasping
• irritability,
• difficulty in concentrating at school
• and hyperactivity

THE FACTS!

• 81% of snoring children with ADHD could have their ADHD eliminated if their habitual snoring were effectively treated.(Chervin, R.D., et.al., Symptoms of Sleep Disorders, Inattention and Hyperactivity in Children, 1997, Sleep 20(12): 1185-1192).
• Using a dental sleep appliance can eliminate the need for surgical removal of the tonsils in some cases.
• Nighttime bedwetting ceased in 10 cases studied when oral therapies were used to reduce nasal constriction. (Timms, D., Rapid Maxillary Expansion in the Treatment of Nocturnal Enuresis. The Angle Orthodontist, 1990, 60(3).
  

Unlike adults, children who suffer from
sleep-disordered breathing are often likely to exhibit
hyperactivity during the day.

Restful Sleep is Essential to Your Child's Health

Undiagnosed and untreated pediatric sleep disorders have been linked to a spectrum of health and behavioral issues, including

• Attention hyperactivity deficit disorder (ADHD)
• Nocturnal enuresis (nighttime bed wetting)
• Weight gain or obesity
• Nightmares

Treatment Options

After a thorough examination of the airway and nasal passages, if the problem is found to be in the nasal passages or adenoids and tonsils a referral will be given to an otolaryngologist (ENT) with the testing results for the ENT to be able to determine the degree of obstruction and necessity for surgery.

However if SDB is due to a malformation of the teeth and jaw then we will be able to evaluate the child for oral appliance therapy. With oral appliance therapy we can correct structural problems such as recessed jaw, narrow arches that may be leading to airway narrowing or collapsing.