Sleep Apnea in Children Cleveland

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is a common problem affecting the health of our children. Upwards of 20% of all children snore and/or grind their teeth (bruxism) at night while asleep. A subset of the snorer (about 20%) will have the severe form of sleep disordered breathing. Obstructed Sleep Apnea (OSA)- OSA is characterized by a short stoppage of breathing; in children it may be a stoppage of 1 or 2 breathes. The usual symptoms are frequent nighttime arousals, abnormal changes in sleep architecture, excessive daytime sleepiness, failure to thrive and bed wetting.

Parents often consult their physicians and dentist when they notice teeth grinding, snoring and breathing stoppage. Usually, but not always the severity of the problem is directly proportional to the size of the tonsils and adenoids. Because of the higher incidence of obesity in this country, more children are now at risk.

ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are a class of behavioral disorder often associated with poor sleep in children. When adults get sleepy, they go to bed. When children get sleepy, they often act out. This acting out may be a symptom of inadequate sleep. It may be wise to check for underlying sleep issues before labeling a child as having behavioral disorders.

Adult SDB can only be managed, it cannot be cured. However early orthodontic and orthognathic intervention in children can, in many cases, cure SDB and sleep apnea. Correction of dental cross bites and non surgical repositioning of the mandible (lower jaw) to a more normal position effectively treats the anatomical reason for the dysfunction.

Dr. Pecenka & Dr. Herald recently (last month) were invited to attend one of the first conferences totally devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of childhood sleep issues. Call our office today if your child exhibits any of the following symptoms.