What To Do About Snoring Children?

It is possible to have snoring children even young ones as it occurs in children for many of the same reasons it occurs in adults. With the primary cause of snoring being the gravitational pressure pulling down on the soft tissues of the throat during sleep, the less strong muscles of a child's neck and throat will also be affected when the muscles are relaxed in sleep.

For babies, it is suggested that a pillow be placed behind them so a lateral, on the side, sleeping position can be maintained. One should be careful to keep switching sides so the bones of the skull do not become lopsided.

Sleep apnea in newborns can also be caused by the brain only beginning to work out the procedure. There are some studies that suggest a newborn learns breathing patterns by sleeping with the parents the first few weeks of life.

As the infant gets older these preliminary snoring problems usually work themselves out. However, other problems can develop that will cause excessive snoring in children. Swollen adenoids or thyroid infections can also cause the breathing passages of children to decrease to the point of causing snoring. Tonsillitis can bring on an abrupt snoring condition in children and can be a first sign of trouble in that area.

If your child continues to snore despite efforts to curb it through the use of sleep positioning or other over the counter methods, it should be investigated by a medical professional.

It may need to be determined if the snoring problem is being caused by chemical imbalances in the blood or brain. Severe obstructive central sleep apnea can lead to many developmental problems for your child if the oxygen/carbon dioxide levels are thrown out of balance.

To a lesser degree, sinus problems and infections can also cause snoring in children but these are usually temporary conditions that time and antibiotics will clear up.

Other factors that can contribute to snoring children include obesity, GERD, asthma, various allergies and large tonsils which is the most common sleep apnea related physical disorder as young children have large tonsils compared with the throat size and this obviously can cause some breathing difficulties. A tonsillectomy can assist with this problem and is a very commo procedure.

Snoring children who have sleep apnea can be difficult to wake in the morning, display behavioural and learning problems at school and are easily agitated. If your child displays these signs for no apparent reason it is worth looking into lack of quality sleep as a possible cause.