Understanding the Causes of Snoring in Children

Understanding the Causes of Snoring in Children

While occasional snoring may seem commonplace amongst children, it is crucial to note that consistent snoring is not an inherent trait of childhood. Studies have found that roughly 3 to 12 percent of children, particularly between the age of 1 and 9, are prone to snoring. However, regularity is not synonymous with normality, and habitual snoring could potentially be indicative of a severe medical condition known as 'Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS)', or more commonly referred to as 'sleep apnea'.

Defining Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea is categorized by prominent snoring accompanied by intermittent breathing interruptions. These pauses could be fleeting or extended, ranging typically between five to thirty seconds. During such instances, the child struggles to achieve uninterrupted sleep, stirring and shifting to alternate sleeping orientations, only to eventually lapse back into sleep and ultimately resume snoring. This cycle of disturbance recurs multiple times throughout the night and, although relatively rare amongst children, these symptoms warrant diligence from parents.

Identifying Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Parents need to be alert for various symptoms, which include:

• Speech deficiencies - Characterized by a muffled, unclear speech, often akin to talking with a mouthful of hot potato.
• Delayed growth - Sleep apnea induces additional energy expenditure due to strenuous nighttime breathing. Children suffering from this condition often eat slower at meals as they struggle to breathe and eat simultaneously. Consequently, their nutrient intake is compromised, negatively affecting growth rates.
• Hyperactivity - Inadequate nighttime sleep can cause daytime tiredness, prompting children to display hyperactive behaviour to stay awake.
• Poor academic performance - Lack of adequate sleep can lead to children appearing tired and distracted, thereby impacting their ability to focus in school and hence result in poor performance.

Upon noticing these symptoms, it is strongly advised that parents take their child for a medical evaluation. It could be challenging to diagnose sleep apnea during doctor visits as a child may appear cheerful and disguised during examination. Therefore, parents should capture their child's snoring to provide the doctor with a better understanding of the severity.

Other Causes for Snoring in Children

It should be noted, sleep apnea is not the singular cause for snoring amongst children. Other conditions involve allergies, obesity, asthma and enlargement of adenoids or tonsils owing to colds or tonsillitis.

• Allergic reactions can induce swelling in the nasopharynx, leading to adenoid enlargement that disrupts normal breathing and initiates snoring. The snoring usually subsides once the allergic reaction has been treated.
• Obesity can lead to 20-40% of overweight children snoring. The accumulation of fat around the throat can constrict the air passage, causing the child to snore. Additional fat around the abdominal region can also adversely affect diaphragm functionality.
• It has been found that approximately 40% of children diagnosed with asthma snore.
• Enlargements of adenoids or tonsils due to cold or tonsillitis can also cause snoring. While colds or tonsillitis can usually be managed with decongestants and antibiotics, adenoid enlargement might necessitate surgical intervention to remove the adenoids and tonsils.

Underdevelopment of the jaw, prenatal, can also lead to snoring in children. This could stem from the inability of the nerves and muscles to effectively control the airways, thereby causing the child to snore. In such cases, it becomes even more critical to seek timely and professional medical advice.