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Children with sleep apnea

Written by: David Castillo on November 12th, 2009

Children with sleep apnea | read this item

Just like adults, children can suffer from obstructive sleep apnea due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids.

Statistics indicate that 3 percent of all children have the condition, which is more common to overweight and obese children. About 75 percent of the 500,000 surgeries performed annually to remove tonsils and adenoids are for curing sleep disorders.

Dr. Ron Mitchell, professor of otolaryngology at St. Louis University, is currently conducting a study to compare those who undergo surgery to remove their tonsils or adenoids versus those who receive treatments, such as a saline nasal spray.

St. Louis University is one of six research sites that are participating in the ChildHood AdenoTonsillectomy study that will look at 500 children with obstructive sleep apnea. The studies are being funded by the National Institute of Health.

“In normal weight kids, [sleep apnea] is usually from tonsils and adenoids that start getting larger at age 3 and stop at about age 8, then shrink in the teen years,” said Dr. Mitchell. “They can get so big that they block the nose and mouth so air flow is restricted, similar to what happens in adults.”

Dr. Mitchell also mentioned that children with sleep apnea have added health and life issues, i.e. learning problems, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, obesity, pre-diabetes, slow growth and high cholesterol.

Source: STLToday

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