March 11, 2005

Sleep Apnea

Why children may not be sleeping well

By Dr. Meena Sathappan
Special to the Times

“People who say they sleep like a baby usually don’t have one.”
—Leo J. Burke

Does your child snore a lot? Does he sleep relentlessly? Does he have difficulty breathing, or does he gasp or choke, while he sleeps? If any of these symptoms exist, he may have a condition called sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a common problem that affects an estimated 2 percent of all children, including many who are undiagnosed. If not treated, sleep apnea can lead to a variety of problems, including heart, behavior, learning and growth problems.

Symptoms
Symptoms of sleep apnea include frequent snoring, breathing problems during the night, sleepiness during the day, inability to pay attention and behavior problems. If you see any of these symptoms, please contact your pediatrician as soon as you can.

An overnight study called polysomnogram, conducted at hospitals, is required to properly diagnose your child’s condition. During this procedure, several sensors are attached to the child to monitor breathing, oxygenation and brain function. Once the test results are available, your pediatrician, with the help of other specialists, will be able to complete the diagnosis.

Causes
One of the primary causes of sleep apnea in children is that the tonsils and adenoids are larger than normal. Tonsils are the round, reddish masses on each side of the throat. They help fight infections in the body. Adenoids lie in the space between the nose and throat and are only visible via an x-ray or special mirror.

Large tonsils and adenoids block a child’s airway while she sleeps. This causes her to snore and lose sleep. On the other hand, not every child with large tonsils and adenoids has sleep apnea. Only a sleep study can prove whether it is sleep apnea or if she is simply snoring.

Children born with other medical conditions such as Down syndrome and cerebral palsy are at a higher risk for sleep apnea. Overweight children are also more likely to suffer from sleep apnea.

Treatments
An effective way to treat sleep apnea is to remove the child’s tonsils and adenoids. Another way is to make the child wear a mask while sleeping, which helps deliver steady air pressure through the child’s nose, allowing him to breathe comfortably.

This ‘mask’ method is a treatment for those children who either are not candidates for the removal of tonsils and adenoids or those who do not improve after the tonsils and adenoids are removed.

“Sleep is the golden chain that ties our health and bodies together,” said Anthony Burgess, the famous English novelist and composer. A good night’s sleep is important to good health.

If your child suffers from the above-mentioned symptoms, talk with your pediatrician. Sleep apnea is fully curable through proper diagnosis and treatment. This could mean restful nights and days for your child and the rest of your family.

Dr. Meena Sathappan is a board-certified pediatrician who lives and practices in Evergreen. She is available for questions and consultation at Aasha Pediatrics, 2060 Aborn Road, # 230, San Jose, 95121 (corner of Aborn Road and Capitol Expressway). You can also e-mail her at msathappan@gmail.com.