I had the guest of a little child of four (4) years old come to pay me a visit a few days back, and while I set him down to sleep, I realized he was snoring really loud, I tried to change his sleeping position to be sure he was not been affected by his sleeping position, but even after that, he didn't stop snoring.
The type of snoring I am talking about is not a silent one, but the type that kept me awake all night, been so disturbed about it, that I had to speak to his Mum immediately about it to have him checked medically, but aside from that, I was also interested in knowing what was making my little friend snore so loudly.
Snoring in children is not the same, there is a difference in frequency, severity, and impact. In most cases, snoring is a minor and short-lived one that does not impact the child's health, but when the snoring is frequent and interrupts sleep, it could indicate sleep-disordered breathing (SDB).
Snoring happens when air does not have the ability to flow freely through the airway behind the throat. While the person inhales and exhales, the tissues around the airway begin to vibrate, then create an audible noise we call snoring.
Sleep-disordered breathing is dependent on seriousness, we have primary snoring, also called simple or habitual snoring. In this case, the child snores probably twice per week but does not have any other noticeable symptoms of health issues.
But, we also have, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is characterized by lapses in children's breath. These lapses are called apneas, and they happen several times within a night when their airways become blocked. OSA isn't a good thing, it comes with a negative impact on mental health, physical health, learning, and behavior.
There are several factors that can create blockage of the airways and lead to snoring in children, most of the possible reasons are;
Obesity: An overweight child is more likely to snore through published research.
Large or swollen tonsils and adenoids: Adenoids and tonsils are found behind the throat and they make up the body's immune system. They could get swollen due to an infection, and the adenoids and tonsils can obstruct the airway causing the child to snore, it happens to be the most common cause of breathing difficulty in children.
Allergies: When a child is allergic to a substance, pet, or any material, it could lead to inflammation in the nose and the throat which will make breathing difficult and increase the risk of snoring.
Asthma: Asthma could take over normal breathing, causing a partial blockage of the airway and resulting in snoring.
Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS): A child being exposed to secondhand smoke can have breathing issues.
Anatomic characteristics: Some children have anatomic characteristics that will make them unable to breathe appropriately.
Contaminated air: When a child is exposed to excessive contaminants and low air quality, frequent snoring could be triggered in a child.
Having established the fact that, some snoring may be just normal, it is important to check with a doctor in order to establish a strong fact about the child's snoring experience. Some cases of concern that accompanies snoring include;
Bedwetting, snoring more than three nights within a week, morning headaches, difficulty concentrating, daytime sleepiness, obesity, hyperactivity disorder, difficulty learning or concentrating.
Simple and infrequent snoring will quickly disappear in children, but in several cases where it is serious, the doctor in charge will need to look for ways to determine what the problem could be, and then diagnose the best way to decrease snoring.
Surgery: Surgery may have to be carried out to remove the adenoids and tonsils, this is usually one of the major treatments for children with sleep-disordered breathing.
Positive Airway Pressure Devices: In adults, PAP devices are common for the treatment of OSA in adults, but in children, they are reserved for the OSA that persists after surgery.
Sleep Hygiene: There are simple home remedies that will help a child sleep better at night, correcting the nature of their sleep environment and ensuring their room is as quiet as possible is a great addition.
If there are any concerning symptoms noticed, please seek immediate medical attention, just like I have advised the parent of my little friend to do. I really hope he is fine and it isn't something big to worry about.
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/snoring/snoring-children
https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/700childrens/2019/02/snoring
https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/snoring-or-noisy-breathing-children
https://www.rush.edu/news/snoring-kids
https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/blog/snoring-in-children-toddlers-when-to-worry/
