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Obstructive sleep apnea in children is increasingly recognized as a cause of attention and behavior problems, as well as learning and developmental problems.
Recognizing the signs
Sleep disorders in children are conditions that prevent them from getting the oxygen they need while they sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea in children is increasingly recognized as a cause of attention and behavior problems, as well as learning and developmental problems.
Symptoms include:
Children with undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea are frequently misdiagnosed with ADHD and placed on unnecessary medications. Screening the airway is part of a complete evaluation, not a separate step.
Why it matters
A child's airway and jaw are still developing, so an undiagnosed sleep or pain disorder does not just affect one night's rest. It can shape attention, learning, and growth for years to come.
Children with undiagnosed OSA are frequently misdiagnosed with ADHD and placed on unnecessary medications.
Interrupted sleep and reduced oxygen overnight are increasingly recognized as a cause of learning and developmental problems in children.
How a child breathes shapes how a child grows: airway obstruction during the growing years can affect jaw and facial development.
Children who have always had jaw pain or headaches often assume it is normal. Left undiagnosed and untreated, the symptoms tend to increase with age.
How our Centres treat it
The good news with children is that they are still in a developmental stage, and the earlier a problem is diagnosed and treated, the better the results.
Adult therapies for the management of OSA are not suitable for children. Therapies such as CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and oral appliance therapy have been known to arrest the skeletal development of a growing child. The good news is that with proper diagnosis and communication between medical and dental providers, treatment of OSA shows better results when treated early in life.
At TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre, an increase in airway volume is always our goal in the treatment of pediatric OSA. The airway is evaluated and any obstructions are addressed: obstructions can occur anywhere in the airway and are not limited to the mouth and nose. Common procedures in airway development involve upper and lower jaw expansion and relationship changes, myofunctional tongue and lip exercises, and lifestyle changes. Orthopedic airway development has a very high success rate in pediatric patients.
Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent but under-diagnosed condition. The importance of screening for OSA in every child has recently been re-emphasized by the American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines.
Craniofacial pain services for children may include one or more of the following:
Craniofacial pain, although most commonly thought of as a disorder affecting only adults, can present in children at an early age. It may seem milder because, unlike adult-onset conditions, these children have always had symptoms of jaw pain and headaches, or difficulty with normal functions like opening, chewing, swallowing, speaking and communicating: they know no difference, and assume pain or difficulty with function is normal. Unfortunately, if undiagnosed and left untreated, the symptoms and condition increase with age.
Two minutes, no appointment
A short set of age-specific questions helps you decide whether what your child is experiencing is worth a clinical evaluation.
Restless sleep, mouth breathing, and early signs of airway or growth problems. 10 questions.
Snoring, bed wetting, and behaviour or attention changes at school age. 10 questions.
Daytime sleepiness, headaches, and jaw or facial pain in teens. 10 questions.
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