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7 Signs of Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children

January 6th, 2022 | by Helen Fung

7 Signs of Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children: What Parents Should Know

Sleep is a crucial component of a child’s overall well-being and development. When it comes to children, quality sleep is essential for growth, cognitive function, and emotional stability. However, sleep-disordered breathing can disrupt a child’s rest and potentially lead to various health issues. As a parent, being aware of the signs of sleep-disordered breathing is vital to ensure your child receives the proper care and attention they need. In this article, we will explore seven signs of sleep-disordered breathing that every parent should be mindful of.

1. Loud Snoring:

While occasional snoring is common in children, persistent loud snoring can be a sign of sleep-disordered breathing. Snoring occurs when airflow is partially blocked during sleep. If your child’s snoring is loud and occurs regularly, it may indicate an issue with their airway.

2. Breathing Pauses:

Observing breathing pauses during your child’s sleep is a significant red flag. If your child seems to stop breathing for a few seconds or takes shallow breaths during the night, it may suggest a form of sleep apnea. These pauses can disrupt your child’s sleep cycle and affect their overall sleep quality.

3. Restless Sleep:

Children with sleep-disordered breathing often experience restless sleep. If you notice your child tossing and turning, frequently changing positions, or experiencing night sweats, it might indicate their body is struggling to maintain an open airway during sleep.

4. Mouth Breathing:

Pay attention to your child’s breathing pattern during sleep. If your child predominantly breathes through their mouth instead of their nose during sleep, it could indicate an airway obstruction or nasal congestion, potentially related to sleep-disordered breathing.

5. Frequent Daytime Fatigue:

Children with sleep-disordered breathing may experience daytime fatigue and sleepiness. If your child appears excessively tired during the day, has difficulty concentrating, or seems irritable, it could be due to disrupted sleep at night caused by breathing issues.

6. Behavioral Problems:

Sleep-disordered breathing can manifest in behavioral changes. Children may experience mood swings, attention deficits, and even hyperactivity. If you notice a sudden change in your child’s behavior or academic performance, consider evaluating their sleep patterns.

7. Enuresis (Bedwetting):

Bedwetting, especially in older children who have already been toilet trained, can be a sign of sleep-disordered breathing. The interrupted sleep cycles can affect the brain’s ability to control the bladder during the night.

Conclusion

Recognizing the signs of sleep-disordered breathing in children is crucial for their overall well-being. If you observe any of these signs in your child, consider consulting a pediatrician or a sleep specialist. Early detection and appropriate management of sleep-disordered breathing can significantly improve your child’s quality of sleep and long-term health. Prioritize your child’s sleep and ensure they receive the necessary care and attention for a healthy and restful night’s sleep.

If you have concerns about your child’s quality of sleep, complete a Paediatric Sleep Questionnaire here, to see if further investigation can help your child.
What are baby teeth

May 15th, 2017 | by Helen Fung
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Primary teeth, commonly called baby teeth, start forming way back in the womb. Sometimes they can appear as early as 3-4 months of age, but most commonly they start erupting through the gums around 6-12 months of age. The timing and order can vary, but all 20 primary teeth will usually erupt by the age of three.

Baby teeth have several important tasks:
- Help children chew food easily and properly
- Help children speak more quickly and clearly
- Hold space in the jaws for permanent teeth that are growing under the gums
- Set the habits for a lifetime of healthy mouth
Are baby teeth really that important? They fall out anyway, right?

Neglecting baby teeth can set a child up for lifelong dental problems. Whilst it can be tempting to skip tooth brushing when a toddler is over-tired and puts up a fuss, or allow a picky eater to snack on their favourite treat, this can lead to development of cavities.

Few people realise the importance of taking care of baby teeth. They are significant for child’s health and development, not only helping the child to eat and speak correctly, but also play a critical role in the healthy development and growth of their face. The space they maintain allows the correct room for their permanent teeth to erupt.

The health of baby teeth is also setting up the direction for the rest of the child life. Pre-schoolers, who have cavities in their baby teeth, are three times more likely than other preschool children to develop cavities in their permanent teeth. A 5-year-old’s dental health can even predict the risk of dental disease in adulthood.

The effects of dental decay

Just like adult teeth, baby teeth can develop cavities. Dental decay, or caries, is the single most common chronic childhood dental disease, being at least five times more common than asthma and hay fever. Due to the smaller size, cavities that develop in baby teeth can progress much quicker than in adult teeth.

Unfortunately, young children don’t have the language skills often required to complain of pain, and instead, can only express their symptoms in a change in behaviour. If left untreated long enough, this can lead to a life-threatening infection.

The statistics on Australian children’s oral health are alarming. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report – Oral health and dental care in Australia: Key facts, figures, trends 2014 findings include:
- More than half of all six-year-olds experience tooth decay in their baby teeth.
- Nearly half of all 12 year-olds have tooth decay.
- Over 22,500 children under 10 years of age were treated under general anaesthesia due to dental conditions.
Aside from the unsightly appearance of untreated dental decay, dental caries is an infectious disease. Even after the decayed tooth falls out or is removed, the bacterial infection, as well as the habits that perpetuate the infection, may continue in the child’s mouth. If left untreated, a decayed baby tooth can cause children to avoid certain foods, toothaches or even abscess, leading to an emergency situation.

Removing a decayed or abscessed tooth may resolve the toothache, but can cause other problems. There is a pattern of loss that primary teeth follow, to ensure the adult teeth come in the most favourable position. If one or more baby teeth are lost too early, it can delay or dramatically affect the position of adult teeth and braces may be needed to correct this. These baby teeth are place holders for adult teeth, and in their absence , adjacent teeth may drift into the space, blocking the future eruption of the permanent tooth. This may cause the need for space maintainers, or future orthodontic treatment.

Recommendations

The Australian Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) and Paediatric Dentistry (AAPD) both recommend that a child’s first dental exam should be six months after the first tooth comes in, or by the child’s first birthday. This is because healthy dental habits, from the start, will have a lasting impact on the child’s mouth and overall health. It’s much better to visit the dentist before there is a problem the teeth.

Early check-ups can also reveal any high-risk areas for cavity, and can establish a protocol to address these concerns before pain or infection arises. It can also provide insight into the growth and development of adult teeth that haven’t yet erupted, providing options to address them ahead of time.