Snoring Or Sound Sleep In Children May Cause Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS)!

The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is recognized as common problem in children.

This problem is increasing day by day in small children; the daytime attention and behavioral problems are noticed as a cause of this OSAS.

It is most difficult to find out OSAS in small children. The symptoms will not be clear, so it cannot be identified easily.

Some symptoms which helps you to find out sleep apnea in children are snoring, breathing through mouth, poor weight gain or weight loss, enlarged adenoids and tonsils, restless sleep and problems in sleeping, excessive daytime sleeping, daytime behavior and cognitive problems (such as problems in paying attention, hyperactivity and aggressive behavior).

What do parents need to know regarding OSAS in small children?

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) can cause several complications in your children such as headaches, poor growth, high blood pressure in small age and problems in the normal functions of lungs and heart.

This problem of OSAS in children is increasingly being identified as a source of children daytime school and behavioral problems.

If your child is not behaving correctly that means obtaining problems at school and snoring loudly while sleeping, then you must ask your pediatrician about OSAS in children.

Most probably the children who are suffering with Down syndrome are at a high risk of developing this sleep apnea and you should observe them keenly to find out whether they obtain the symptoms of OSAS.

The other medical conditions such as abnormalities in various neuromuscular and central nervous system, crouzon syndrome and treacher Collins syndrome, craniofacial abnormalities like Pierre robin sequence are also associated with OSAS in children.

Once it is identified that your child is suffering with sleep apnea syndrome then it will be the time to discuss various treatment options to solve this problem. The treatment usually includes removing enlarged tonsils (adenotonsillectomy) and adenoids.

In some cases this problem will be treated by helping overweight child to lose weight and by treating child allergies.

In some rare cases this problem of sleep apnea will not be solved even though adenoids and tonsils are removed. In such cases the option of treatment for solving this problem is CPAP therapy with nasal mask.

The doctors whom you have selected for solving this problem in your children must be specialized in treating children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

Pulmonologists, otolaryngologists (ENT specialists) and neurologists will be specialized in treating this problem of sleep apnea in children.

You should likely need to see any one of the above doctors if your pediatrician conforms that your child has obstructive sleep apnea. You should make enquiry to find out whether the doctor you have selected for treating your child have experience in treating OSAS or not?

You have to choose the well experienced doctor for your child. Otherwise proper treatment may not get to your child and he/she may suffer with this sleep apnea even after treatment.