Does your child seem drowsy during the day? Does he or she snore or wake up breathless in the middle of the night? They could have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – a chronic condition where breathing stops periodically during sleep because soft tissue is relaxing and obstructing the airway. These periodic stops can happen as many as 20-30 times in an hour and cause a lack of oxygen to the brain, waking up your child so that they restart proper breathing. All that waking up can leave one pretty sleepy the next day – even if they don’t remember waking up!
Untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can affect school work and overall alertness as well as raise your child’s risk of serious health problems down the road. These include:
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Chronic acid reflux
- Obesity
- and even Depression
According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology (ENTs) sleep disordered breathing affects approximately 12 percent of children.
Luckily, sleep apnea is easily treatable. It just needs to be diagnosed. That’s where you come in: if your child has any of the following symptoms, bring them to see us for a free consultation. We’re experts at finding airway obstructions and starting young is key! It is recommended that we see your child by age 5.
Here’s what to look for:
- Insomnia or difficulty sleeping (tossing and turning or night sweats)
- Loud snoring at night
- Waking up at night short of breath
- Long pauses in breathing
- Chronic mouth breathing during sleep
- Snorting or choking sounds during the night (indicating a restart of breathing)
- Extreme drowsiness throughout the day
- Changes in mood, misbehaviour or decline in school performance
- Hyperactivity or inattention (in some cases children who are diagnosed with ADHD are actually not hyperactive but rather are showing the clinical symptoms of OSA.
Orthodontists are leading specialists in spotting Sleep Apnea early because of our familiarity and expertise in working with the soft tissue in children’s mouths. As both an Orthodontist and a parent, Dr. Whitlock makes a point of asking all parents if they’ve noticed any of these symptoms when he first consults with a new patient.
If your child is exhibiting any of these symptoms, bring them in for a free consultation . We can help with a treatment plan and make sure your kids are sleeping soundly! Our office is fun, friendly and bilingual!
Contact us today for a free consultation! Email Lacy at lacey@drwhitlock.com or call us at any of our local offices:
Springdale: (479) 751-1103
Fayetteville: (479) 527-6998
Fort Smith: (479) 434-4332