If your child, or children, have trouble sleeping, snore often or even sleep a lot but are tired all day, it might be sleep apnea. When dealing with sleep apnea in children, it can often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for strep throat, enlarged tonsils, etc. By visiting Craniofacial Pain & Dental Sleep center, we can help look into a deeper understanding of why your child might be experiencing sleep problems.

The dental visit

During the dental exam, we can look for teeth grinding and other issues that might signal an airway obstruction. To help with a diagnosis, we would then refer the child to an ear, nose and throat specialist for further study.

Children need between 10 and 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If they are not getting this, they are not getting all of sleep’s benefits. As a result, they will often experience fatigue, problems with memory and immune system functions, bedwetting, anxiety, depression and other complications, such as Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

A lack of sleep or an irregular sleep schedule due to blockage can also cause growth development problems. If a child is not falling into a deep sleep, the growth hormone is not properly released. This can affect height and a child may be smaller on the growth charts.

Because children are suffering from enlarged tonsils and other airway blockages, it is important to visit Dr. Patel at Craniofacial Pain & Dental Sleep Center of Georgia for routine exams. Correcting the problem when a child is younger is better than waiting until they are adults. Early intervention can also prevent problems such as sleep apnea from progressing to a worsened state in adulthood and even leading to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Take charge of your child’s health by contacting us today to schedule an appointment. Remember, untreated sleep apnea can lead to a variety of complications, so act now.