Aug 28, 2008 3:42 pm US/Eastern
Sleep Apnea Diagnosed In 2 Percent Of Children
Even if a child appears to be sleeping well during the night, brief interruptions in sleep can affect them not only at night but all day long.
John Mitchell is sleeping soundly now, but that wasn't always the case.
"It must have been within the last year or so where he would sleep and he would start to snore a lot," says the 12-year-old's mother, Linda.
About 20 percent of American children snore occasionally and 10 percent snore on most nights. Another 2 percent of children have obstructive sleep apnea.
Worried that his snoring was a sign of something serious, she took her son to see a pediatric pulmonologist.
"John came and had a lot of symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea," explains Dr. Rupali Drewek. "He had daytime symptoms, including sleepiness. He had poor level of functioning at school."
To find out for sure if John had sleep apnea, Dr. Drewek had him come to a sleep clinic. "We did see that he was having oxygenation problems at night due to his sleep disorder."
While John's symptoms included sleepiness during the day, doctors say some kids may actually exhibit hyperactivity.
"A lot of kids who are diagnosed with ADHD were started on stimulants actually are misdiagnosed. And we uncover sleep disorders and once the sleep disorder is treated, the ADHD resolves."
Catching sleep disorders early is key.
"Undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea for many years can lead to pulmonary hypertension and the cardiac side effects are something that can kill you."
John's catching his z's now with the help of a C-PAP. The machine opens his airway and helps him breathe easier.
"Just wake up real refreshed and just wake up and getting ready for school," says John.
"I can see the benefit that he's, you know, experienced from it so I'm happy for him to have it," says Linda. She's also happy that her son is finally getting the rest he needs.
Dr. Drewek says parents have to make sure their kids have a good sleep routine. Young kids and teens need at least 9 hours of sleep every night. And if your child snores every night or has trouble waking up in the morning, take them to see their doctor. It could be sleep apnea.
For referral to a nearby sleep center, visit the American Academy of Sleep Medicine at http://www.sleepcenters.org
For general information on sleep disorders:
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov
National Sleep Foundation, http://www.sleepfoundation.org
