1/31/06

Sleep Apnea in Children

Children who stop breathing briefly while they sleep are at increased risk for behavioral and emotional difficulties, but a common procedure can improve these problems.

About 300,000 children each year are diagnosed with a breathing condition known as obstructive sleep apnea. Individuals actually stop breathing multiple times for 10-seconds or longer during their sleep, says Dr. Gayle Woodson, professor and chair of otolaryngology head and neck surgery at SIU School of Medicine, and a member of the St. John's Children’s Hospital physician staff. She explains that a child who snores loudly may be at risk, so parents should be on alert for unusual sounds.

SOUND BITE: "If a child stops breathing and has these pauses, then that is of particular concern. And then you can frequently hear a lot of loud noisy breathing and then there will be not just a pause in breathing, but a sound like they are struggling to get their breath. And then they will suddenly start breathing again."

Dr. Woodson says some children's symptoms may be limited to extreme fatigue or they may be hyperactive. Sleep apnea can occur in children of any age, but is more common in children age 3 and older. She explains some possible treatments.

SOUND BITE: ". . . the main treatment in children is to take out the tonsils and adenoids. And 90 percent of the time that really fixes the problem. And some children, if the tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy doesn’t work, do need to get treatment with a machine that provides positive airway pressure during breathing."

If a child has problems with loud snoring and awakening during the night, they should see a pediatrician for evaluation and possible treatment.