Recent studies show that Airway obstruction leads inadequate sleep to symptoms very similar to ADHD including:
If you suspect your child has ADHD or ADD, a consultation with Dr. Salartash may be the next best step, as studies have shown children with sleep disordered breathing issues suffer from poor quality sleep because of poor oxygenation during rest. This is resolved with Airway improvement and overcoming the airway obstruction, ultimately the child’s behavior improves as does academic performance.
Some Other signs:
Night terrors are sudden, partial arousal associated with emotional outbursts, fear, and motor activity. Occurring most often among children ages 4–8 during NREM sleep, the child has no memory of night terrors once fully awake.
Sleepwalking is most common among 8–12 year-olds. Typically, the child sits up in bed with eyes open but unseeing or may walk through the house. Their speech is mumbled and unintelligible.
Nighttime bedwetting Sometimes bed-wetting is a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which the child’s breathing is interrupted during sleep — often because of inflamed or enlarged tonsils or adenoids. Other signs and symptoms may include snoring, frequent ear and sinus infections, sore throat, and daytime drowsiness.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) Although more common in adults, 1–3% of children experience difficulty breathing because of obstructed air passages. Studies have suggested that as many as 30 percent of children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder may actually have symptoms of OSA and that much of their learning difficulty and behavior problems can be the consequence of chronic fragmented sleep. Bed-wetting, sleep-walking, poor growth, other hormonal and metabolic problems, even failure to thrive can be related to sleep apnea. Some researchers have charted a specific impact of sleep disordered breathing on “executive functions” of the brain: cognitive flexibility, self-monitoring, planning, organization, and self-regulation of affect and arousal. Additionally, several recent studies show a strong association between pediatric sleep disorders and childhood obesity.
Inadequate, disrupted, poor-quality, non-restful and at times elusive sleep constitutes one of the most common complaints raised by parents to their pediatricians. The consequences can be serious, and range from behavioral concerns and academic failure to delayed growth, failure to thrive and cardiovascular problems. For this reason, it is important for both parents and educators to understand how sleep works and how disruptions in normal sleep patterns can affect children and teenagers.
If you suspect that your child or teen has a sleep problem that goes beyond a few nightmares or restless nights, do not delay seeking help, contact us at Dynamic Dental Wellness for a consult. The earlier a sleep problem is identified and treated, the more quickly a normal sleep routine can be restored and your child benefits from normal growth.
Some sleep disturbances are mild, fairly common, and fairly easy to treat. Others may be more stubborn, or they may be signs of potential physical problems that could have long-term consequences if left untreated.
If your child:
If your child is suffering from a sleep breathing disorder, he or she may exhibit one or more of these symptoms. Please keep in mind, not all pediatricians recognize the variety of sleep problems children and teenagers experience. We can help you here at Dynamic Dental Wellness. Make an appointment for a consult today.
When parents or teachers have concerns about attention and behavior problems, sleep problems may be an issue. This is because side effects associated with sleep disturbance or deprivation includes inattention, irritability, hyperactivity, and impulse control problems.
At Dynamic Dental Wellness we have a holistic approach to diagnose and treat children from the ages of 3 months and up with the goal of providing a better night’s sleep, a better day ahead for the entire family and to set your child up for success with growth and development.
Dental Treatment Options for OSA Oral appliances for treatment of pediatric OSA are helpful in some cases, especially in adolescents whose facial bone growth is largely complete. One device that expands the transversal diameter of the hard palate over a six-month to one-year period has been used successfully in children as young as 6.
Weight management, including nutritional, exercise, and behavioral elements, should be strongly encouraged for all children with OSA who are overweight or obese. An adequate nightly duration of sleep is an important component of weight management.
Other treatments are directed towards additional risk factors in individual cases; i.e., allergy medications for children with seasonal/environmental allergies, asthma medications/inhalers, and treatment for gastroesophageal reflux.
We provide total dentistry and sleep/airway wellness, complete prevention plans, craniofacial analysis, cancer and disease screening and treatment, laser bacteria and virus elimination, implants, gum recession treatment and more.
