Snoring in Kids: What Troubling Signs Parents Need to Take Seriously

Do you have a child who snores loudly? While snoring in kids is generally a non-issue, it may also be a health concern. There are some troubling signs that parents should watch out for before it develops into a sleep problem.

According to the Texas Children's Hospital, at least 10 percent of children may snore when they sleep and kids above 3 years old may also snore during a night of deep sleep. But how will the parents know if their children's snoring should be checked by a specialist?

A child who snores may have some obstruction in the throat or airways. For instance, large tonsils or adenoids can cause tissues to build up in the throat. The blockage may also be triggered by an allergy, an asthma attack, throat infections, or if the child has a deviated septum.

However, a child who snores too loud and too often, coupled with instances of abnormal breathing, may have sleep-disordered breathing (SBD). This sleep issue is a cause for concern because it can directly impact the child's general health.

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Sleep Disorders Lead to Poor Health

When children lose sleep hours due to loud and bothersome snoring, health issues like high blood pressure or obesity, learning difficulties in school, and hyperactivity in the daytime may crop up. A child with SBD may also feel sleepy during the day or have difficulty waking up for school even if they think they had decent hours of sleep. They might feel easily exhausted when the school day is over as well.

According to otolaryngologist Dr. Brandon Hopkins, via Cleveland Health, sleep-disordered breathing, such as sleep apnea, is not common in children. If left unchecked, it could cause more health problems in the heart or lungs.

However, some kids are more prone to have sleep-disordered breathing if they are overweight or obese, or if they have craniofacial or neuromuscular disorders. Certain kids with genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome, may develop bothersome snoring as well.

The experts said that SBD may be characterized with snorting or gasping. The child might also appear restless and could exhibit teeth grinding even when he's asleep.

How to Stop Loud Snoring in Kids

An otolaryngologist or ENT doctor may initially be consulted about this sleep issue to determine if there are blockages in the throat or airways. If the doctor finds the congestion, surgery might be recommended to remove the adenoids, according to otolaryngologist Dr. Kathleen Billings, via Daily Herald.

If there is no blockage, the parents may consider signing up their child in a sleep study to accurately evaluate sleep apnea and correctly plan a course of action to restore the child's restful sleep. Ideally, however, parents may alos come up with a sleep journal for their kids to track what happens when they are sleeping for at least one to two weeks. This will be helpful for the sleep study.

Dr. Hopkins said that when the loud snoring in kids has been resolved, 90 percent of children will not have recurring issues.

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