Snoring

Snoring in children is not allowed. It is a sign that something is not right.

If your child snores, they may be experiencing sleep apnea. Sleep apnea causes the amount of oxygen in our blood cells to go down, sometimes way down, which then leads to all of our body parts starving for oxygen. The brain, muscles, organs, and all the rest are deprived of oxygen. Oxygen deprivation is a terrible thing, during growth and development, it is life changing.

Sleep apnea in adults is very bad. Sleep apnea in children is worse.

Children who snore may have enlarged tonsils and adenoids. In some cases having tonsils and adenoids removed is the solution. If we see enlarged tonsils, we refer your child to your pediatrician, and pediatric ENT.

Some children may benefit from orthodontic treatment. Making the jaws wider can make the palate shallower. The other side of the palatal bone is the nasal cavity. By making the palate shallower, the nasal cavity is enlarged, which is usually a good thing. In some cases, children can be treated at an early age (my youngest patient was 4 years old).