Diagnosing sleep apnea can feel overwhelming, but understanding the process is the first step toward helping them sleep better.
Thankfully, this condition is manageable with the correct diagnosis and interceptive orthodontic care.
We’ll cover the signs to watch for, the diagnosis process, and how to take action so you can feel confident about your child’s well-being!
Understanding Pediatric Sleep Apnea
Pediatric sleep apnea is a common yet often overlooked sleep disorder in children, characterized by interruptions in breathing during sleep. It can significantly impact a child’s overall health, development, and quality of life.
The Differences between Obstructive and Central Sleep Apnea
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): This condition is primarily caused by physical airway obstruction. In OSA, the soft tissues at the back of the throat collapse and block the airway during sleep. This obstruction leads to pauses in breathing and a drop in oxygen levels.
- Central Sleep Apnea (CSA): CSA arises from a problem with the brain’s control of breathing. The brain fails to send the appropriate signals to the muscles that regulate breathing, leading to irregular breathing patterns or complete pauses in breathing without any physical blockage of the airway.
How Obstructive Sleep Apnea Occurs
In children, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the airway narrows or becomes blocked during sleep. This can be caused by enlarged tonsils, tongue placement, adenoids, excess weight, or structural issues with the mouth, teeth, nose, or throat, leading to sleep apnea snores.
When a child with OSA sleeps, the muscles in the throat relax, and the airway is obstructed, causing breathing interruptions. These pauses lower oxygen levels and disrupt the whole night’s sleep, resulting in symptoms like loud snoring, trouble concentrating, morning headaches, and daytime drowsiness.
Diagnosing Pediatric Sleep Apnea
Dr. Lee recommends using our detailed sleep apnea checklist to help determine your child’s likelihood of having sleep apnea. Our checklist includes common indicators of sleep apnea and helps prioritize the need for a sleep study.
Dr. Lee will then refer you to a sleep specialist to evaluate your child’s medical history and perform a physical exam. A sleep study, often conducted overnight at a sleep clinic, is the gold standard for diagnosis. During the study, various factors like breathing patterns, oxygen levels, and brain activity are monitored.
Early diagnosis can prevent serious complications, such as high blood pressure, heart problems, and developmental delays.
What to Expect during a Sleep Study
Typically, you’ll be asked to arrive at the sleep laboratory in the evening, around 8-10 pm.
A friendly technician will greet you and explain the procedure. They will then attach small sensors to your child’s body to monitor brain waves, muscle activity, heart rate, and breathing patterns throughout the night.
Your child will be encouraged to sleep as they normally would while the sensors record their sleep patterns. The environment is designed to be as comfortable and home-like as possible to ensure a restful night. In the morning, the technician will gently remove the sensors, and your child will be free to go home.
The data collected during the sleep study will be analyzed by a healthcare provider to diagnose sleep apnea or other sleep disorders.
6 Steps after Diagnosing Pediatric Sleep Apnea
- Consult a Sleep Specialist: After sleep apnea is diagnosed through a sleep study, your child will need ongoing care from a specialist.
- Evaluate Treatment Options: Discuss various treatments like CPAP, lifestyle changes, or dental devices.
- Address Risk Factors: Manage factors such as excess weight or nasal congestion that may contribute to sleep apnea.
- Monitor Symptoms: Keep track of pediatric sleep apnea symptoms like restless sleep and loud snoring.
- Consider Further Tests: If symptoms persist, further evaluation may be needed.
- Follow-Up Regularly: Regular visits ensure the treatment remains effective.
4 Treatment Options Once Your Child Has Been Diagnosed with Sleep Apnea
- Snore guards reposition the lower jaw, helping to prevent airway blockage during sleep. They can be useful for mild cases of obstructive sleep apnea in children who snore but don’t have severe airway obstructions.
- Palatal expanders are often recommended for children with narrow upper jaws, which can contribute to obstructive sleep apnea. The device gradually widens the upper jaw to improve airflow and alleviate breathing problems.
- While typically used for teeth grinding, custom night guards may also assist in keeping the airway open by adjusting the position of the jaw and tongue, providing relief for children with mild sleep apnea symptoms.
- Orthognathic surgery may be recommended in more severe cases, such as when dental devices are ineffective. This procedure repositions the jaw to correct structural issues that cause obstructive sleep apnea, improving the child’s airway for better breathing during sleep.
Concerned About Your Child’s Sleep? Patuxent Orthodontics Can Help!
Contact Patuxent Orthodontics if you think your child may be suffering from sleep apnea. Whether you want to learn more about the benefits of sleep apnea solutions or have questions about orthodontic care, use our live chat, call (240) 802-7217, or message us through our Contact Us page to connect with our friendly staff today and book a complimentary consultation!
Our office, located at 44220 Airport View Dr., Hollywood, MD 20636, proudly serves Maryland’s Patuxent area, as well as the Greater Washington DC area.
So, if you’re residing in Hollywood, Wildewood, or Leonardtown and are looking for one of the best orthodontists in Maryland, don’t hesitate to visit our office!
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