Snoring – Hereditary Or Not?

Are you in a doubt that if snoring is a problem that you can pass on to your children? Unluckily, the answer is yes, you can.

According to a research study published in the journal "Chest", children that have at least one parent that snored were three occasions more likely to snore themselves when compared to children whose parents had no snoring problem.

Snoring And Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The study was undertaken in order to more precisely determine the legacy of snoring due to the fact that snoring is “the main symptom of sleep disordered breathing”. Actually, snoring is a caution sign for the dreaded sleep disorder known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or OSA.

OSA causes the sufferer to stop breathing while asleep due to airway obstacles. Basic, primary snoring is hindered breathing, but it is breathing nonetheless. The victim will stop breathing for periods longer than 10 seconds while asleep, waking them up to make them gasp and choke for air when Obstructive Sleep Apnea is present.

This problem is not only an issue in the evening, either. Obstructive Sleep Apnea leaves the sufferers with sore throats and headaches when they wake up. Lack of concentration, irritability, and bad behavior are the consequences of the lack of sleep due to the OSA.

OSA can increase blood pressure, lower blood-oxygen levels, make the heart work harder, and cause a greater occurrence of heart attacks and strokes if it is left untreated.

For the research study, 681 children in Cincinnati Children’s Hospital medical centre were studied. The researchers also found that African-American children were roughly 3 times as likely to snore then children of other races.

In addition, the study showed that children who tested positive for Atopy (an early indicator of asthma and allergies) were twice as likely to snore as those children who tested negative.

Dr Maninder Kalra

Dr Maninder Kalra, the lead author of the report, stated that the advantages of the research study included recognizing which children snored so that doctors could more exactly recognize the high-risk groups for sleeping disorders, and be able to notify their parents to help avoid any long-term harm.

Kalra was also quoted as saying “More than 40 million children in the western world have allergies. Additionally, the occurrence of allergy-related respiratory diseases is a risk factor for obstructive sleep-disordered breathing, the connection between Atopy and habitual snoring in young children has not been studied.

Now that we know how prevalent snoring is in children this young and that it is more common in children with positive Atopic status, parents and health care professionals can take suitable action.

You can now tell whether or not your own children are at a risk for suffering from sleep disorders with this knowledge. It is significant to get your child screened for Obstructive Sleep Apnea if snoring occurs.

The effects it can have on a child if left untreated are irreparable. Polysomnography tests are available at most local hospitals. They are painless, and they are often covered by insurance.