{"id":1965,"date":"2024-01-12T09:13:03","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T09:13:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/doctorsmiles.com\/?p=1965"},"modified":"2024-01-16T12:37:45","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T12:37:45","slug":"sleep-apnea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doctorsmiles.com\/sleep-apnea\/","title":{"rendered":"Sleep Apnea"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Most people don\u2019t associate teeth with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD). However, a 2012 study revealed that many children who are diagnosed with ADHD don\u2019t really have the condition. Rather, their behavioral problems are actually due to sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD), such as sleep apnea.<\/p>\n

The study, published by the journal Pediatrics, followed more than 11,000 children for six years, beginning from when they were 6 months old. The children who had SRBD were 40 to100 percent more likely than those without breathing issues to develop behavioral problems resembling ADHD by the age of 7.<\/p>\n

It makes sense, then, to consider whether interrupted sleep might be the primary issue at work. A well-rested individual, young or old, can function much better on a good night\u2019s sleep. But a lack of rest affects different people in different ways. Sleepy adults tend to act sluggishly, while sleep-deprived children are more likely to become hyperactive, uncooperative, and unable to focus \u2013 just like kids with ADHD.<\/p>\n

How Can I Identify Sleep Apnea?<\/strong>
\nSleep-related breathing disorders, including sleep apnea, are characterized by recurrent episodes of interrupted breathing during sleep. Typically, the airway becomes blocked by soft tissues near the back of the throat (e.g. tonsils or the tongue) that partially close off the windpipe. These tissues can vibrate as air passes by, causing snoring. This often gets worse while sleeping on one\u2019s back, since this encourages the lower jaw to slip back and pushes the tongue in front of the airway.<\/p>\n

Overweight children have a higher incidence of sleep apnea due to fatty tissue deposits in the soft palate (the soft tissue in the back of the roof of the mouth), which decrease the size of the child\u2019s airway.<\/p>\n

When observing your child sleeping, look for the following signs to see if he or she may have a sleep-related breathing disorder:<\/p>\n