How to know if your child suffers from sleep apnea

What is sleep apnea in children? Sleep apnea is a respiratory anomaly that occurs during sleep, in which we stop breathing for a short period of time. Although it is more common in adults, there is a small percentage of children who also have it. This disorder is more worrisome in childhood because,

What is sleep apnea in children? Sleep apnea is a respiratory anomaly that occurs during sleep, in which we stop breathing for a short period of time.

Although it is more common in adults, there is a small percentage of children who also have it. This disorder is more worrisome in childhood because, in recent studies, it has been proven that it produces evolutionary problems, especially on cognitive abilities, and an undiagnosed pathology can cause damage to the brain structure.

Apnea is due to the obstructed airways during sleep. Children who suffer from apnea can stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds while they sleep, in breaks that can reach 400 times each night, which prevents a restful sleep.

Symptoms to know if your child suffers from sleep apnea

Normally you can detect if your child suffers from sleep apnea if they are:

- Children who snore.

- They suffer nocturnal urination.

- Teeth screeched at night.

- They are irritated by the day due to lack of sleep.

- They wake up constantly.

- They sleep on their backs. Presenta - They present fatigue, low concentration and therefore low school performance, and even, alterations in the metabolism.

A physical examination of your child's throat, mouth and neck by the doctor is necessary to diagnose a problem, although in most cases a sleep study is necessary to verify the real causes of sleep apnea.

In children, the main cause is usually the so-called "vegetations", whose solution is a simple surgery, the same happens when the tonsils obstruct the passage of air. In the cases of obesity, the entrance of air can also be affected,

and the solution goes through a loss of weight; however, there are other factors that lead to a more complicated treatment such as problems with muscle tone of the throat that relax during sleep block the airway, although it is usually more common in conditions such as muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy.

It can also be due to genetic diseases such as Down syndrome or Prader-willi syndrome, or due to an abnormal form of the palate, chin or tongue. How to treat sleep apnea in children? 1- If the problem is overweight, it will be enough to lose weight.

2- If you sleep on your back, you must change your position to sleep.

3- If it is something momentary due to an allergy that inflames the respiratory tract, it can be treated with medication.

4- If it is due to structural problems of the throat, jaw or tongue, it should be treated by surgery, and in cases where surgery does not correct the problem, it is advisable to use a nasal CPAP, which is a compressor that pumps air in a mask that It is worn over the nose while sleeping.

If we have detected any of the above symptoms,

we must not stop going to the pediatrician since sleep apnea is a little diagnosed pathology that nevertheless can bring serious consequences

in a child.