SLEEP APNEA & SNORING IN KIDS
Kids can show different signs and symptoms of sleep-related breathing disorders compared to adults.
For example, the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) threshold for adults to be diagnosed with sleep apnea is five events per hour. For kids, as few as one event per hour is generally a concern and may warrant treatment. In addition, kids can show drastically different signs of sleep disturbances compared to adults. The BEARS questionnaire is a simple, effective screening tool for many sleep disorders.
BEARS stands for:
B = Bedtime Issues
E = Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
A = Night Awakenings
R = Regularity and Duration of Sleep
S = Snoring
Sleep Apnea Symptoms in Children Video
During the night, a child with sleep apnea may:
- Snore loudly and on a regular basis
- Have pauses, gasps, and snorts and actually stop breathing.
- The snorts or gasps may wake them and disrupt their sleep.
- Be restless or sleep in abnormal positions with their head in unusual positions
- Sweat heavily during sleep
During the day, a child with sleep apnea may:
- Have behavioral, school, and social problems
- Be difficult to wake up
- Have headaches during the day, but especially in the morning
- Be irritable, agitated, aggressive, and cranky
- Be so sleepy during the day that they actually fall asleep or daydream
- Speak with a nasal voice and breathe regularly through the mouth
