The most common reason children snore (85 – 90%) is enlarged tonsils and adenoids
An anatomical component, such as a small jaw or a small airway that the child was born with may also contribute to snoring
Other factors which may increase the risk of snoring include altered airway muscle tone, obesity and genetic factors
The tonsils and adenoid
How common is the snoring in children?
Around 8 to 12% of children have persistent snoring on most nights
Snoring is worst in children ages between 2 and 8 years
Consequences of children’s snoring
Severe upper airway obstruction in children can cause learning problems and developmental delay, and growth delay
Uncorrected snoring in children may also lead to delay with speech and language development, problems with memory, problems with attention and communication
Behavioural aspects most often seen include aggression, hyperactivity, inattention and anxiety
Learning, memory and thinking are the cognitive areas most affected by snoring
Even mild airway obstruction or primary snoring can cause significant deficits – this is particularly important as 8 – 12% of all children are thought to have primary snoring
What are treatments for snoring in children?
Removal of the adenoid and tonsils is the first line of treatment for children with sleep disordered breathing
Removal of the tonsils and adenoid cures snoring in 85 to 90% of children
Paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea
The main symptom of sleep disordered breathing is snoring that is loud, present every night regardless of sleep position, and is ultimately interrupted by complete obstruction of breathing with gasping and snorting noises
Approximately 10% of children are reported to snore
Ten percent of these children (one percent of the total paediatric population) have obstructive sleep apnoea
When an individual, young or old, obstructs breathing during sleep, the body perceives this as a choking phenomenon – the heart rate slows, the nervous system is stimulated, blood pressure rises, the brain is aroused, and sleep is disrupted
In most cases a child’s vascular system can tolerate the changes in blood pressure and heart rate – however, a child’s brain does not tolerate the repeated interruptions to sleep, leading to a child that is sleep deprived, cranky, and ill behaved
Consequences of untreated children’s sleep disordered breathing
Snoring
A problem if a child shares a room with a sibling and during sleepovers
Sleep deprivation
The child may become moody, inattentive, and disruptive both at home and at school
Classroom and athletic performance may decrease along with overall happiness
The child will lack energy, often preferring to sit in front of the television rather than participate in school and other activities
This may contribute to obesity
Abnormal urine production – bedwetting
Snoring causes increased night-time urine production in children, which may lead to bedwetting
Growth problems
Growth hormone is secreted at night
Children who snore may suffer interruptions in hormone secretion, resulting in slow growth or development
