Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 37
What are the signs of sleep
apnoea during the day?
How does sleep apnoea affect
the family?
The e昀昀ects of sleep apnoea
don’t stop in the bedroom.
During the day, children might:
• Struggle to concentrate
• Be unusually hyperac琀椀ve
or aggressive
• Fall behind with learning
• Seem unusually 琀椀red or
moody
• Have delays in
development or growth
• Appear frustrated or down
Sleep apnoea can be stressful
not only for the child but for the
whole family. Worrying about their
breathing, coupled with day琀椀me
behaviour challenges and school
issues, can be exhaus琀椀ng for parents
and carers.
In babies, it may show up as
poor feeding or slow weight
gain. Over 琀椀me, untreated
sleep apnoea can a昀昀ect a
child’s overall wellbeing, and
even lead to long-term issues
like high blood pressure or
heart problems.
What causes sleep apnoea
in kids?
The most common culprit is
enlarged tonsils or adenoids, which
block the airway during sleep.
Other contribu琀椀ng factors include:
• Obesity
• Skull or jaw structure di昀昀erences
(e.g. small or receding jaw)
• Larger tongue size (common
in some condi琀椀ons like
Down syndrome)
• Previous cle昀琀 palate surgery
• Neurological condi琀椀ons
like cerebral palsy or
muscle weakness
How is sleep apnoea
diagnosed?
A GP might suspect sleep apnoea
based on symptoms and a look
at the child’s tonsils or adenoids.
But the best way to con昀椀rm the
diagnosis is through a sleep study.
Sleep studies are usually done in
hospital. Small sensors and wires
are placed on the child’s skin to
track breathing, oxygen levels,
and sleep pa琀琀erns. These tests
aren’t painful and children usually
manage to sleep well during
the study, with a parent staying
overnight with them.
