Sleep apnea in children

Sleep apnea in children: Is it common? And what can parents do to recognize and treat it?

Here’s what you need to know about sleep apnea in children.

Sleep apnea in children: The basics

First of all, yes, children can be diagnosed with sleep apnea. But it’s much less common than it is in adults. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), sleep apnea affects only about two percent of children. The same source states that about 24 percent of men and nine percent of women have the breathing symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).¹

However, as low as that number is, the percentage of children who snore is considerably higher. “Many if not most children snore on occasion, and about 10 percent or more snore on most nights,” according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).²

“Loud and regular nightly snoring is often abnormal in otherwise healthy children,” the NSF continues, explaining that in 2002, the American Academy of Pediatrics “recommended that all children be screened for snoring,” and that those who do snore regularly should undergo a diagnosis to determine whether the snoring is normal or a symptom of sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea in children: Signs and symptoms

So, put loud and/or consistent snoring at the top of your list of possible symptoms that your kids may have sleep apnea. But snoring isn’t the only sign of sleep apnea in children. The Canadian Lung Association lists some other common symptoms:

• Noisy breathing while sleeping (as opposed to obvious snoring)
• Pauses in breathing during sleep, or gasping for air
• Restless sleep and/or sleeping in strange positions
• Daytime sleepiness
• Problems in school
• Problems with attention span
• Hyperactivity

Granted, lots of healthy kids show signs of most of these symptoms every day. Taken on their own, none should cause undue concern about sleep apnea. But if you notice two or more of these symptoms occurring regularly in your child, you may want to schedule an appointment with your family physician to discuss the possibility of sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea in children: Causes

If your child does have sleep apnea, the solution could be simple. Many experts attribute the presence of sleep apnea in children to enlarged tonsils.

“Children with sleep apnea syndrome who have their tonsils and adenoids removed sleep better, are less restless and impulsive, and report a generally better quality of life,” reports the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), reporting the findings of the Childhood Adenotonsillectomy Trial (CHAT).³

Still, that same report warns that its results “should not be applied to children with the most severe sleep apnea syndrome or very young children.” For children with severe sleep apnea, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may be prescribed. Lean more about this in our article on children and CPAP.