As a parent and grandparent, I know how you feel. It’s frustrating to take your child to the doctor over and over for the same reason. You want to treat your child’s problem (not the symptoms). Does your child snore or mouth breathe while sleeping? Is your child having behavioral, emotional, or cognitive development issues? I may have some answers for you.
What Is Pediatric Sleep-Disordered Breathing?
Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing describes disruptions of normal breathing while sleeping. It includes frequent or loud snoring, mouth breathing while sleeping, and sleep apnea. Children with sleep-disordered breathing risk behavioral, emotional, and cognitive development issues.
Some common causes of pediatric sleep-disordered breathing include enlarged adenoids and tonsils. The position of the tongue in the mouth and a bad bite can affect normal breathing as well. The bad bite may cause your teeth to grind, which disrupts sleep by causing jaw and neck pain.
Parents of children with sleep-disordered breathing need awareness of more treatment options. Instead, parents receive more antibiotics, surgeries, and drugs for their children. Drugs to help their child be more attentive and drugs to help their child sleep.
The problem with this approach is that only the symptoms are being treated. The underlying problem is being ignored. It’s like shutting the barn door after the cows are out. You can catch the cows before they get out or you can fix the barn door. Fixing the barn door needs to start now.
Start by taking this screening quiz. See if your child or a child you know needs testing for sleep-disordered breathing. When children lack proper sleep, their growth and brain development suffers. There are non-medicated solutions that can improve your child’s sleeping patterns.
If you want to learn more about pediatric sleep-disordered breathing, call our office to schedule an appointment.
Yours in health,
Dr. Ruth Roach Morgan