Sleep Apnea among Infants- How to Treat?

Sleep apnea is sometimes seen as the disease of the adult, but it can also be seen by adolescents. In infants, adenoids or tonsils obstruct the airway while they are sleeping are also triggered by the sleep apnea. In overweight children, the disorder generally exists, but anyone can get affected. Our specialist doctors at our sleep clinic in OKC are able to diagnose and treat obstructive sleep apnea in children of all ages and has been doing it for many years.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Signs and Symptoms

Obstructive sleep apnea or OSA is a disorder that can greatly affect the sleep patterns of an infant. Owing to airway blockages at night, a child cannot be able to get a complete, restful sleep, as it will toss and shift and wake the kid up during the night. Furthermore, children with OSA appear to rumble and can attempt to sleep in an unnatural position, the head inclined back to make the breathing easier.

OSA sleep deficiencies can also cause difficulties during the day. Children who do not sleep enough appear to be irritable, with shorter periods of attention and loss of focus. This can interfere with school success and impact on socialization with other people. These side effects can be treated by a trained doctor, for example those at OKOA, to see on diagnosis and treatment.

Treatment Choices for OSA in Children

Children who have been identified with obstructive sleep apnea may undergo a number of therapies, the most common are amygdalitis and adenoidectomy or T&A surgery. As larger adenoids or tonsils are the most likely cause of OSA, their removal is always the remedy. Your surgeon will inform you if this is your child's best choice.

Other types of treatment include weight loss and healthy diets if your child is overweight. If the issue is not addressed by a healthy lifestyle, other steps may be taken. T&A surgery in some cases is not sufficient to remove OSA absolutely. This can be used to enable the child to respire at night by constant air pressure, thus holding the airway open while he is sleeping. If so then there is also a machine known as CPAP, which is called the "continuous positive airway pressure."

Bring your child to our sleep clinic in OKC to get the appropriate treatment you require. At OKOA, we can treat sleep apnea with right methods.

**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.