Children and Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnia does not always affect adults. It can be a problem for children as well but it can be difficult to diagnose. Here are some of the symptoms of sleep apnea to look out for in children:

Children younger than 5 years old might have sleep apnea if you notice them snoring, sweating, waking up more than normal, breathing through the mouth, and general restlessness. It is difficult to tell whether they have it just by looking at them and of course you can't ask them what the problem is. If you suspect that something is wrong, you should always consult your doctor first with a small child.

Children older than 5 years might have symptoms that include snoring, not growing at the normal rate, bed wetting, and a short attention span. It is difficult to correctly diagnose sleep alpnea from these symptoms alone but you can ask the child whether they are sleeping well and if they have any problems. Of course, even if they do have sleep apnea, they might think that it is normal and not know that the troubles they are having are not normal.

Snoring is the common symptom in almost all children of any age. Sleep apnea makes it difficult to sleep and deprives both children and adults of precious sleep time. It is usually harder to tell in children than in adults that they are sleep deprived because children naturally have so much energy. Children also have more difficulty expressing themselves and telling you that something is wrong. They might also be emvarrassed to talk about it as well.

If your child shows some of the symptoms of sleep apnia or if you are just suspicious that something may not be right, it is always advisable to go to your doctor. Getting sleep apnia help from your doctor and taking preventative measures is the best course of action. Your doctor can do his own evaluation and is better able to tell you exactly what you should be looking for in your child to determine whether your child has sleep apnea.