Although not as much as adults, the children also snore. Snoring, in itself, is not a problem and should not be treated, however it is often accompanied by pauses of apnea, which are seconds in which the child stops breathing followed by a sudden and noisy air intake. In these cases a diagnosis and treatment are necessary.
If apnea pauses are frequent or prolonged, there are situations of lack of oxygen in the organs and especially in the brain, which is the one that needs it most.
This happens because during the period of time in which the child does not breathe air does not reach the lung, the blood does not oxygenate and that blood does not nourish the tissues of the oxygen they need. This phenomenon is called obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).
Children who suffer from OSA are usually children who eat little and badly (although I think all mothers would say this about their children ...) and realize a non-restorative dream that is interrupted multiple times. During the day they are usually sleepy, not very attentive and will probably be children who learn less, with worse school results and often restless, irritable and even hyperactive.
When you go to the doctor's office there are no symptoms to work on, since during the day there is no respiratory problem or obstruction whatsoever. It is at night, when the muscles responsible for keeping the duct open where the air passes and the tongue relax. This relaxation causes the duct to collapse when taking air, preventing its entry.
It is usually due to the increase in the size of the tonsils and the vegetations and its removal resolves almost all cases So your diagnosis is very important.
The diagnosis is simple and that is why parents should know about this disease. An early treatment avoids future problems generated by lack of cerebral oxygen at times of apnea.
In short, snoring can be normal, not pathological, but it is necessary that parents and doctors be vigilant in case it is.
