SLEEP APNEA TREATMENT FOR CHILDREN
Helping children find relief from the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea
Could Your Child Be Suffering From Sleep Apnea?
Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder in which your child’s breathing is either partially or totally blocked multiple times as they sleep. Soft tissues in the throat relax as we sleep, and for those with sleep apnea, these tissues can narrow or fully obstruct a child’s airway while they sleep. This causes the body to jerk awake, often gasping or coughing, to reopen the airway and begin breathing properly again, and the cycle may continue multiple times throughout the night.
Unlike adults with sleep apnea, children suffering from this disorder are more likely to exhibit behavioral problems than complain of excessive tiredness or exhaustion while awake. However, children with sleep apnea, just like adults, are often unaware that their irritability or concentration deficiencies are the result of a chronically disrupted sleep pattern.
Symptoms of Pediatric Sleep Apnea
Because the child is asleep when the clearest signs of sleep apnea are present, they may have no idea that they are repeatedly waking up in the night and aren’t receiving a deep or restful sleep. As such, it often falls to the parents or family members of the affected child to notice the signs and seek professional help. Consider the following list of common symptoms for children with pediatric sleep apnea and consider if your child may need to seek professional assistance.
DOES YOUR CHILD…?
If any of these sound like your child, it may be time to seek professional help. If you discover that your child is one of the tens of thousands of Americans suffering from sleep apnea, Dr. Black is dedicated to working with you, your child and your child’s doctor to provide the most precise, efficient and stress-free treatment to help your child breathe easier and get a more restful sleep.
Causes and Risk Factors for Pediatric Sleep Apnea
Though sleep apnea can affect both children and adults, the primary causes and risk factors of this disorder differ depending on the age of the patient. At Sleep Wellness Associates of Lynchburg, Dr. Black is dedicated to discovering the true cause of your child’s sleep apnea and developing a personalized solution based on the latest research, not just masking the symptoms. Children at an increased risk for pediatric sleep apnea include having:
- Enlarged tonsils and adenoids
- Orthodontic issues such as misaligned teeth, jaw misalignment or issues with the dental arch
- Down Syndrome
- Cerebral Palsy
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Neuromuscular diseases
- Family history of sleep apnea
- Physical abnormalities in the skull or facial structures
Treatment for Pediatric Sleep Apnea
For children with sleep apnea, early detection and treatment is essential to avoid any long-term complications in your child’s growth and development. A common treatment for sleep apnea is the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which utilizes a mask, hose and nosepiece to deliver constant air pressure throughout the night to help your child breathe. In some cases, these devices are necessary to minimize the effects of sleep apnea. However, at Sleep Wellness Associates of Lynchburg, we may be able to provide patients with treatments that are smaller, quieter and may even eventually eliminate the need for further treatment.
At Sleep Wellness Associates of Lynchburg, Dr. Black uses her advanced technology and skill from her work as an orthodontist to craft personalized oral appliances that can help to expand the palate and nasal passages that realign your child’s jaw and move the tongue forward to keep the upper airway open and clear, offering many patients a permanent solution without the use a machine to assist in proper airflow. After we work together with your child’s doctor to determine the root cause of your child’s sleep apnea, Dr. Black may recommend one of the following types of dental appliances.
Braces and Aligners
For those suffering from sleep apnea as a result of misaligned teeth, braces or clear aligners may be recommended to methodically move the teeth into their proper positions. Not only do braces and aligners improve the appearance of a patient’s smile, but they also will realign the teeth and jaw so as not to obstruct airflow when your child is asleep.
Rapid Palate Expanders
These devices are affixed to the upper molars through bonding or cemented bands that connect in a bridge along the upper part of the jaw. Over time, these expanders widen the space in the upper jaw, opening up the area that may be causing the obstruction in your child’s airways and helping them breathe easier when resting.
What is a frenectomy?
A frenectomy, also known as a frenotomy, is a procedure to remove excessively thick or tight tissue in one’s mouth that prevents the lips or tongue from moving or functioning properly. This condition, commonly referred to as a “tongue-tie” or “lip-tie” depending on the tissues causing the difficulty, can make it difficult for an infant or young child to develop properly, impacting their ability to eat, drink and speak.
Children with a tongue or lip tie are at an increased risk of developing airway obstructions and, ultimately, obstructive sleep apnea. If a child’s tongue is unable to exercise its full range of movement, growth in the jaw can become stunted, resulting in a smaller mouth, jaw and palate as your child grows and develops. A narrowed jaw or palate means less room for proper airflow while sleeping, which can lead to the development of obstructive sleep apnea later in life.
Who benefits from frenectomies?
If your child has a tongue or lip tie, early detection and treatment is key to limit the long-term effects it may have on their mouth, jaw and palate development. If your infant or toddler is experiencing any of the following, they may benefit from a frenectomy:
What to Expect During a Frenectomy
In a frenectomy, the site of the procedure will typically be numbed, so the patient is completely comfortable throughout the entire experience. The use of nitrous oxide is also commonly employed to help young children relax prior to and during the procedure. Then, your dentist uses a specialized laser that allows them to release the thick tissues causing the tongue or lip tie. This procedure causes very minimal discomfort for the patient with minimal to no bleeding and, in many cases, is so precise and noninvasive as to make sutures unnecessary.
The recovery process after a frenectomy is fairly quick, completely healing within 2-3 weeks. Discomfort around the treatment area can be expected for a few days after the procedure. After a frenectomy, Sleep Wellness Associates of Lynchburg recommends a series of exercises to do that will strengthen the area and prevent the tissues from re-adhering during the initial healing process. Our expert team will teach you how to practice these exercises with your child at home!
At Sleep Wellness Associates of Lynchburg, our expert team is prepared to provide your child with personalized, compassionate care to reduce their risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea as a result of a tongue or lip tie. Contact Dr. Black today to learn more!