Sleep Apnoea in Children

One of the major concerns about creating awareness in the field of sleep apnoea is that most people have a preconceived notion about how a patient suffering from sleep apnoea may look like. The general thought that prevails in the minds of people is that always middle-aged overweight male should be suffering from sleep apnoea, but this is not always the case. Many times, women suffer from sleep apnoea too, which gets diagnosed with insomnia. Sometimes even children are diagnosed with sleep apnoea.

Prevalence of Sleep Apnoea in Children

The prevalence of sleep apnoea in children is much lower than it is in adults (approximately 5% of children compared to 26% of adults aged 30-70 years); this is still common enough for being a cause for concern. Children suffering from untreated sleep apnoea pose the risk of having behavioural, adaptive and learning problems. Many of the daytime symptoms of poor sleep caused by sleep apnoea may manifest themselves as symptoms very similar to that of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) hyperactivity, difficulty with learning and concentration, resulting in poor performance at school. ADHD is one of the most common neuro-developmental disorders in children. Most of the times the diagnosis is made in childhood, but still the symptoms persist as the child gets older and reaches puberty. The main symptoms of ADHD are difficult in paying attention, difficult to control impulses and being hyperactive. Children struggling with untreated sleep apnoea have the risk of developing hypertension and cardiac issues as they grow eventually.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnoea in children

• Breathing through the mouth - Children with large adenoids breathe with their mouths open. These are seen usually in obstructive sleep apnoea cases
• Breathing pauses during sleep and resumes
• Short spans of attention while studying
• Bedwetting
• Poor in academics in school

Causes of Sleep Apnoea in Children

Causes of sleep apnoea of children vary greatly from that of adults. The main reasons for sleep apnoea in cases of adults are age, overweight and neck-circumference whereas in children the main contributing factors of sleep apnoea are the enlarged adenoids. So, it is said that mainly children suffer from obstructive sleep apnoea. When these tonsils are enlarged they eventually cause breathing difficulties during the day. Even when the child is asleep, muscles in the body relax including those in the throat. The relaxation of these muscles allows the tonsils and adenoids to further restrict airflow in the upper respiratory system and cause apnoea even during sleep. Childhood obesity also contributes to sleep apnoea in a similar manner just the way it does in adults. The more fatty tissues in the throat, more likely that breathing can become disrupted during sleep as the extra soft tissue can more readily restrict airflow.