If your child shows signs of disturbed sleep including long pauses in breathing, tossing and turning in the bed, chronic mouth breathing during sleep, night sweats (owing to increased effort to breathe) this may be an indication of sleep apnea. This is far more common than parents realize and is mostly seen in children between 2 and 8 years old, although it can present itself at any age.
If your child is suffering from these symptoms, we can help determine underlying causes and may refer your child to an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) doctor for further evaluation. While there is a possibility that affected children will “grow out of” their sleep disorders, the evidence is steadily growing that untreated pediatric sleep apnea can affect attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, bed-wetting, sleep-walking, and even failure to thrive.