Healthy Living: Sleep Apnea - Kids Can Have It Too

I spent time in the last two healthy living posts talking mainly about sleep apnea in adults, but it's also become a health risk among children.  The National Sleep Foundation reports that roughly 13 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 11 and approximately 14 percent of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 suffer from being overweight.  It's part of a growing trend in our country that kids are getting heavier- for numerous contributing reasons, but carrying extra weight puts kids at greater risk for sleep apnea.  That's not to say, however, that thin kids can't have sleep apnea.

What are some of the nighttime signs that a child could have sleep apnea?

• Does he snore at night?
• Is she a mouth-breather?
• Does he have trouble getting out of bed in the morning after getting sufficient sleep time?
• Is her sleep fitful or restless?
• Does his breathing pause while asleep?

If you suspect that your child is showing any of the above symptoms, see your child's medical doctor and get it checked out.  It may be nothing, but it may be something.  Two of my sisters showed several of these signs and both are CPAP users today.

Do you have, or know others that have, children with sleep apnea?  What are your experiences?  How did you discover the problem and what steps did you take to take care of it?