Is sleep apnea robbing your child's rest?
480 words
by Michele Ranard, M.Ed.

The night my husband fell asleep in our preschooler’s bed proved to be life altering. Awakened repeatedly by the volume of his snoring, it was more horrifying to note the lapses of fifteen seconds of complete silence. Ultimately we were compelled to videotape the labored nighttime breathing for the pediatrician.

Silence is NOT Golden
Referred to an otolaryngologist, we learned enlarged tonsils and adenoids caused our son’s obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This is a common but serious health problem occurring during sleep when the soft tissue at the back of the throat is most relaxed. Continuous loud snoring, mouth breathing, and periods of silence when the airway is blocked are symptoms.

It is easy to become accustomed to your child’s snoring and not automatically recognize the seriousness of OSA. Tell-tale clues parents can watch for include trouble awakening in the morning, a need for excessive napping, bedwetting, failure to thrive, and problems with focusing. Children may feel extra sleepy in the morning, experience attention or behavioral problems, and gain or lose weight. Sleep deprived kids may struggle with settling down to sleep or concentrating and in some cases be misdiagnosed with ADHD as a recent study from the Journal of the Academy of Pediatrics purports.

Dr. Dennis Rosen, a pediatric sleep specialist at Children’s Hospital Boston observes the ADHD/OSA connection frequently in his practice. He reports in his blog that frequently “behavioral symptoms are dramatically improved, if not completely resolved after their nighttime breathing difficulties are definitively treated.”

Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea often involves surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids and remedies the disturbance for ninety percent of children. In our son’s case, the improvement in air flow post-op was swift and dramatic. Not only did he sleep more peacefully, his general health improved significantly and his growth took off. Our healthier, happier four year-old rested so much better, the quality of sleep for everyone in the family was enhanced.

When You Snooze, You Win!*Kids who get lots of rest may gain less weight. A recent study conducted at Johns Hopkins University on sleep and obesity found that children who slept less than ten hours per night had a twenty-five percent chance of becoming overweight by age six. As time for sleep decreases, apparently the secretion of hormones stimulating appetite increases.

*Kids need more sleep! Doctors recommend eleven to thirteen hours of sleep for preschoolers, but a 2004 study by the National Sleep Foundation reported that most are sleeping less than ten and a half hours. Teenagers ideally need nine hours, and a University of Kentucky study found that students getting less than six hours per night earned lower grades and were at higher risk for depression and anxiety.

*Follow these steps for more heavenly sleep patterns:
S-Stick with a regular bedtime.
T-Turn off the TV.
E-Eliminate caffeine and online activity before bed
P-Prioritize sleep as highly as you do homework.

Michele Ranard is a professional counselor, academic counselor, and a freelancer with a cheeky blog at hellolovelychild.blogspot.com.Resources
General info on OSA: http://www.mayoclinic.org/pediatric-sleep-apnea/

ADHD study: Chervin, Ron. Journal of American Academy of Pediatrics. April 2006.

Rosen, Dennis: http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleeping-angels/200903/obstructive-sleep-apnea-and-adhd-in-kids

Obesity Study: Chen, Beydoun & Wang. “Is Sleep Duration Associated with Childhood Obesity? A Systematic Review and Met-analysis.” Obesity the journal of the Obesity Society. February 2008.

National Sleep Foundation study: http://www.kintera.org/atf/cf/%7BF6BF2668-A1B4-4FE8-8D1A-A5D39340D9CB%7D/2004SleepPollFinalReport.pdf

University of Kentucky study: http://www.uky.edu/PR/News/Archives/2000/JUNE2000/teensleep.htm