Children with sleep apnea, especially those with short stature, face an additional risk. According to Dr. German Nino-Murcia of the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic in Stanford, California, short statured children who have untreated sleep apnea may not develop to their full potential height because of a lack of oxygen during crucial growing periods. Their bones fuse prematurely, but their soft tissues keep growing. An average achondroplasic, without each of these structural irregularities, may not have a problem. There are other factors not related to short stature which will increase the likelihood that an individual will have sleep apnea.
Obesity is a major factor.
Even a little excess weight can increase the severity of sleep apnea dramatically, because there is more tissue in the throat to create a blockage. Other breathing disorders, such as asthma and obstructive pulmonary disease, can play a part as well. If you have apnea, alcohol and other sedating drugs can make it much worse. Sleep apnea is often easily diagnosed and readily treated. If you snore, then it is quite possible that you have a mild form of apnea now.