DOES YOUR CHILD SNORE? THEN BE CONCERNED.

Although snoring during sleep is fairly common in children, it can sometimes be a symptom of sleep apnea which is a more serious problem. Sleep apnea refers to a narrowing of the throat during sleep, which can negatively affect your child's physical and mental well-being. This condition causes difficulties in breathing leading to disrupted and poor sleep cycles. In severe cases, sleep apnea can lead to a drop in blood-oxygen levels. Sometimes, your child can snore in certain ways that you need to be concerned about. These signs include loud snoring,choking, breathing with the mouth and restless sleep. Breathing in an uncomfortable manner during sleep is often indicative of sleep apnea. The common causes for snoring in children include allergies causing nasal obstructions, enlarged adenoids and tonsils, nasal septal deviations and abnormal growths in the airway. The risk of having sleep apnea increases due to a few risk factors such as obesity, Down syndrome, abnormal nuscle weakness and chronic medical illness.

The consequences of sleep apnea are manifold:

• The child looks like he/she had a poor night's sleep.
• Becomes cranky during the day, even after getting required amount of sleep according to their age.
• Shows less energetic and falls asleep unexpectedly at home or at school.
• Performance at school deteriorates without any other clear cause.
• May have difficulty in gaining weight.

Using a camera, record how your child snores for a few minutes and show the video to the doctor you are consulting; it can be very helpful at times. A paediatrician can also examine your child to see if he/she has enlarged tonsils. If the tonsils are very large, the paediatrician might refer you directly to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist to find out whether your child is a suitable candidate for surgical removal of the tonsil. Sleep apnea is completely curable, but correct evaluation is the key to success. Care modalities range from treatment of allergies to surgical corrections that are safe and effective in the long term.

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