Snoring in a child - what could be the causes and how to treat it
Sometimes parents face a problem - their child snores. What to do in such a situation? Is it possible to self-medicate? Where and which doctor should I contact? The article discusses in detail the causes of children's snoring and actions in such a situation.
Causes of snoring in a child
According to research by Russian scientists, 4.6% of children aged 2 to 6 years snore during their sleep.
The causes of apnea in a child can be a variety of anatomical changes in the nasopharynx, which contribute to compression of the respiratory system:
- congenital or acquired narrowness of the nasal septum or larynx;
- inflamed lymph nodes;
- enlarged adenoids;
- swelling of the larynx;
- bronchial asthma;
- allergy;
- rhinitis in severe form;
- violation of the nasal septum;
- anomaly of the hard and soft palate;
- obesity.
Snoring is common in premature babies with low birth weight. You should pay attention to this and tell your doctor, as apnea is sometimes the cause of death in a child's sleep. Simply put, when snoring, the respiratory system is blocked, there is a lack of oxygen, which leads to cardiac arrest.
If the baby snores rarely, then this is not dangerous to health. Perhaps he is simply sleeping in an awkward position. Try turning your baby onto his tummy or side.
But if your child does not sleep well due to apnea, you should consult a doctor. For example, the disease “infectious mononucleosis” is masked under ordinary snoring. In the first week of illness, the child simply snores and there are no signs of illness, and in the second week of illness, the lymph nodes become inflamed to such an extent that even while awake it becomes difficult to breathe. The disease is then accompanied by all the known symptoms of a cold. Therefore, tell your doctor if you have any doubts about your child’s snoring.
Treatment of snoring
Apnea treatment should only be prescribed by a qualified specialist.
If you notice that after sleeping in which you snored, your child behaves capriciously and gets tired quickly, then call a doctor at home or make an appointment. The doctor will examine the child and feel the lymph nodes. If they are enlarged, he will order blood and urine tests. Since a number of diseases have similar symptoms to each other, in order to make the correct prescription it is necessary to make a correct diagnosis.
If you are sure that your child is healthy, try three simple ways to stop snoring:
- The right pillow. Its height should not exceed 6 cm, otherwise a high pillow may cause snoring.
- The baby's sleeping position is only on the stomach or side. Sleeping on your back is not advisable.
- Regular ventilation of the room and humidification of the air. Dry air dries out the mucous membranes of the throat and nose, which contributes to the growth of “crusts”.
If these methods do not help you, then contact an otolaryngologist. The specialist will conduct an examination and if the cause of apnea is not clear, he will prescribe additional research at a specialized sleep center. A polysomnography procedure is performed. Before going to bed, sensors are connected to the body that record heart rate, breathing movements, etc. Within 12 hours, the devices record readings, on the basis of which a diagnosis is issued.
A number of exercises that help strengthen the walls of the larynx and palate will not harm:
- Throughout the day, ask your child to say the letter “i” at least 20 times. This will allow your throat muscles to relax.
- With your mouth closed, pull your tongue towards your throat. You should feel tension under your chin. Repeat at least 20 times.
The last option is surgery. It is prescribed if after treatment there are no results and the situation worsens. The operation lasts from 10 to 25 minutes under local anesthesia. As a result, snoring decreases or disappears forever.
