Does Your Child Snore at Night? Treat it Right Now

Children are the most valued resources, and every parent prioritizes their comfort and health. It is no wonder that you might have queries about snoring and sleeping habits of your child. Is it normal to snore? Is it damaging? What makes it a cause for concern?

At the Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, LLC, we face a few questions frequently from patients, therefore, follow the article below to know the common signs of snoring and sleep disorders in children to see if they need snoring treatment.

The Signs

If your child snores for more than three times a week and shows one of the signs mentioned below, this is the time you should get snoring treatment for him or her.

If your kid is always tired.

If your children are always irritated or aggressive.

If they daydream frequently.

If your children act sleepy.

Difficulties to wake up irrespective of having significant sleeping time.

If they wet bed at night past age nine or this habit reappears suddenly.

Causes of Snoring

Upper airways vibrations of the respiratory system cause snoring. While the snoring of your child may sound gentle during the night, snoring can be an indication of a sleeping disorder. These are a few typical causes for snoring in your child.

Infection in the Respiratory Tract

If your children have trouble breathing through the nose due to cold or allergies, probably sinus blockage is the reason for their snoring. This blockage in the nasal path makes them breathe using their mouths resulting in snoring.

Enlarged tonsils and adenoids

Larger tonsils and adenoids are the primary causes of children's snoring and are a strong sign of obstructive sleep apnea. The puffed-up glands block airways making your child uncomfortable while breathing at night.

Deviated Septum

A deviated septum takes place if two nostrils are misplaced. It makes nasal breathing difficult especially when two nostril passages have a different width: one is bigger than the other one so it reduces airflow.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Some 3% of all children between 1-9 years of age have obstructive sleep apnea. This is a grave condition that prevents the airflow via the upper respiratory tract and makes it very difficult to breathe. Untreated OAS can lead to several health problems for children (and adults as well).

Signs of Sleep Apnea

Symptoms at Night

Kid snores regularly, three or more times per week.

Interrupted breathing by gasping or pausing for 10 seconds.

Breathing interruption wakes your kid up from sleep.

Sweating during sleeping.

Your kid frequently moves while asleep at night and has a restless sleep, abnormal sleeping positions like head tipped back oddly.

Symptoms during daytime 

Your kid is sleepy in the daytime, this indicates insufficient sleep at night because of different interruptions.

Kids fall asleep frequently in the daytime.

Behavioral and social problems.

Kids speak nasally or breathe through mouths.

For snoring treatment for your child, contact our specialists at Oklahoma Otolaryngology Associates, LLC. Let us get to the root of the problem to help your kid sleep better.

**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.