These Symptoms May Mean that Your Child’s Snoring Needs Medical Attention

Sinus Pediatrics | Boise ENT Sinus & Snoring Specialists

Nothing can be cuter than sneaking in your toddler’s room and hearing them peacefully snore. Though snoring isn’t normally a problem, it can indicate that your child has some health problems that need to be addressed by an Ear Nose Throat (ENT) specialist. Watch for these symptoms that could mean something more serious is going on with your child.

Nighttime Sweating

If your child frequently sweats at night, it may mean that your child’s sympathetic nervous system is overactive. Your child’s airways may be blocked or swollen due to allergies, swollen tonsils or pediatric sleep apnea, causing low oxygen levels and triggering the nervous system to kick into high gear. If your notice nighttime sweating, quietly watch your child sleep at night, paying attention to their chest. If his or her rib cage and breastbone sink inward, this can be a sign of them struggling to breathe due to a closed airway.

Chronic Bedwetting

Several studies have shown that children with pediatric sleep apnea are more likely to wet the bed. Though researchers aren’t exactly sure how the two are correlated, many believe it could be due to hormonal changes. Treating the child’s sleep apnea through tonsil or adenoid removal has been found to eliminate bedwetting in 66 percent of children.

Behavioral Problems or Inattentiveness at School

Children who snore or breathe through their mouths have been found in studies to have a greater incidence of behavioral problems at home and school. When children don’t get enough oxygen when sleeping at night, it deprives the brain of much-needed oxygen, which can cause slow brain growth and development. Children who sleep better at night do better in school. Allergies and asthma can cause difficulty in children getting the oxygen they need at night, resulting in problems the next day.

Many parents assume that snoring is a normal part of childhood and falsely believe that it indicates a deep level of sleep. If your child regularly snores and experiences any of these accompanying symptoms, schedule an appointment with a pediatric ENT specialist today to learn if your child’s snoring means that your child needs medical treatment.