Sleep Disordered Breathing in Kids
Published by ENT Clinics Australia
What is sleep disordered breathing?
Sleep disordered breathing refers to a group of breathing abnormalities which occur during sleep. The abnormalities included in this group include:
- Snoring
- Mouth breathing
- Pauses in breathing
Patients with sleep disordered breathing may also have some of the following symptoms:
- Excessive sleepiness
- Poor concentration
- Inattention
- Hyperactivity
- Aggression
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Bed wetting
Sleep disordered breathing is a spectrum of disease, with children at one end having snoring and children at the other end having significant obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
How do I know if my child has sleep disordered breathing?
The best way to work out if your child has sleep disordered breathing is to watch them sleep. Wait until they have been asleep for at least 30 minutes and then observe how they are sleeping. Features to look out for include:
- Snoring
- Pauses in breathing
- Excessively restless during sleep
Take a video recording of your child sleeping and bring it to the consultation with either Dr Dan Robinson or Dr Sam Dowthwaite. Other features associated with sleep disordered breathing include bed wetting and night terrors.
What is happening to cause the sleep disordered breathing?
Patients with sleep disordered breathing have partial or complete upper airway obstruction during their sleep. This obstruction results in a disruption to normal ventilation and sleep. The most common cause is tonsil and/or adenoid enlargement.
Can sleep disordered breathing change the behaviour of my child?
The behaviour of your child can be significantly affected by sleep disordered breathing. It has been demonstrated that these patients may show the following behaviours:
- Increased aggression
- Hyperactivity
- Signs of depression
- Symptoms similar to ADHD
- Bed wetting — up to 50% of children with sleep disordered breathing wet the bed
- Poor memory and attention
- Poor performance at school
What can be done about sleep disordered breathing?
If your child has sleep disordered breathing it is recommended they have an adenotonsillectomy. The decision to proceed with surgery is entirely yours. If your child has confirmed OSA it is strongly recommended they have an adenotonsillectomy.
What are the benefits of an adenotonsillectomy?
- Increased quality of life
- Improvement in sleep disordered breathing
- Improvement in behavioural parameters
- Improved school performance
- Reduction in bed wetting
What to do next?
If you think your child has sleep disordered breathing, make an appointment to see either Dr Dan Robinson or Dr Sam Dowthwaite. It is helpful to bring along a video of your child sleeping and to obtain a GP referral.
Article written by Dr Dan Robinson