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Ask the Expert
My child snores at night. Is this something I should be concerned about? At what age should I seek an expert opinion and who should I take my child to see?
Snoring is usually the hallmark sign of paediatric obstructive sleep aponea (OSA) in preschool aged children. Parents of children with undiagnosed OSA may also report their children sleeping in unusual positions, restlessly changing positions, late onset bed-wetting, poor weight gain, excessive sweating, night terrors, and mouth breathing.
Paediatric obstructive sleep apnoea is a common sleep disorder that if left untreated, can cause significant shortterm and long-term complications. These complications include poor academic performance at school, attentiondeficient disorder type behaviour and failure to thrive. Therefore, a timely diagnosis is important to reduce the negative effects of this condition in children.
Diagnosis of OSA should be made by a medical professional and often involves a specialised sleep study. Therefore, if your child snores frequently and on a regular basis, it is recommended that you see a medical practitioner or sleep physician regardless of your child’s age.
An orthodontist can assist by screening and assessing if there are any dental-facial or teeth related factors that may be contributing to or worsening the OSA. If the orthodontist finds any signs or symptoms that suggest the risk of OSA, they can provide you with a referral for your child to see a sleep physician, ENT surgeon, or provide adjunctive orthodontic treatment. Holistic management of OSA in the paediatric patient involves a team-based approach with several different medical specialists working together and is tailored specifically for each individual child.
