Researchers estimate that 1-5% of the children may have obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea in children can sleepiness if left untreated. In children, sleepiness can manifest as inattention, learning difficulty, impulsive behavior, and other behavioral problems.
In children large adenoids and tonsils can contribute to sleep disordered breathing, but also dentofacial morphology can further contribute to the narrowing of the upper airway. Mouthbreathing has been associated with altered craniofacial growth. This has contributed to the fact that that in children between 6-8 years old dentofacial morphology is stronger risk for sleep disordered breathing than obesity.
Nocturnal enuresis refers to bedwetting during sleep in children over 5 years old at least twice a week for more than 3 months. It can affect all children regardless of gender, and in the United States there are approximately 5 to 7 million children affected by this condition. Some of the potential causes of bedwetting include anxiety, eating and drinking habits, urinary tract infections, sleep apnea, and constipation.
Questions that may help you identify if your child has sleep disordered breathing:
- Does your child wake up feeling unrefreshed in the morning?
- Does your child have a problem with sleepiness during the day?
- Is your child hard to wake up in the morning?
If you answered yes to any of these questions you may want to book an appointment with our sleep dentistry specialist in order to see if your child is a candidate for an unobtrusive oral appliance that could help prevent sleep apnea.