Sleep Apnea... Not Just an Adult Concern (Spring 2004)
Imagine how tired you would be during the day if your sleep was interrupted between ten and sixty times per night, every night. Imagine how difficult it would be to focus on your work or enjoy life if you were tired all the time. Such is the experience of many people, including children, who suffer from sleep apnea.
Ear, nose and throat specialist, Marc Maslov, MD, chats with patient Ty Dlugonski and mom, April.
According to ear, nose and throat specialist, Marc D. Maslov, MD, "People with sleep apnea literally stop breathing during sleep. Breathing may cease for just a few moments or the pause may last for a minute or longer and occur many times throughout the night. Once breathing stops, the brain senses the build up of carbon dioxide and awakens the person just enough to start breathing again.
Even though the individual typically doesn’t remember awakening, the interruption of the natural stages of sleep results in excessive daytime sleepiness that not only negatively impacts the quality of life, but also poses a safety hazard while driving or operating equipment.
Although sleep apnea is commonly associated with adults, children and teens of all ages can suffer from sleep apnea, too. The primary causes of childhood sleep apnea are large tonsils and being overweight.
Enlarged tonsils, which can block the airway, are usually the key factor leading to this condition. Dr. Maslov adds, "During the deeper stages of sleep the throat and tongue relax, causing the airway to become narrow. In most children, this natural narrowing of the airway is not significant enough to cause breathing problems. When a child has very large tonsils, however, the size of the tonsils, in combination with the narrow airway, may result in sleep apnea.
As with adults, overweight children are at an increased risk of developing sleep apnea because the additional fat tissue surrounding the trachea (windpipe) interferes with the flow of air. In addition, the added body weight challenges the chest’s and abdomen’s ability to fully expand during breathing.
Symptoms of sleep apnea in children are similar to those in adults and may range from mild to severe. Because breathing is usually fine during the day, concerned parents should be on the look out for night time symptoms that may include:
- snoring
- gasping or choking during sleep
- irregular, heavy breathing
- breathing pauses that last three or more seconds
- severe bed-wetting
- restless sleep.
If a child or adult exhibits any of the above symptoms, especially in combination with excessive daytime sleepiness, and falling asleep at inappropriate times, such as in school, driving, or at work, a doctor should be consulted. Left untreated, sleep apnea not only diminishes the quality of life, but can also lead to serious health problems.
Editor’s Notes:
GCMC’s Center for Sleep Disorders offers adult and pediatric sleep studies in a comfortable home-like setting.
Marc D. Maslov, MD, specializes in all aspects of ear, nose, throat and conditions as well as allergy management. He is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head, & Neck Surgery and the American Academy of Facial, Plastic, & Reconstructive Surgery. He is welcoming new patients and his office is located in the hospital’s Medical Office Building. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 724-458-0511.
