Snoring in Children

While snoring in children is a very common occurrence, recent studies suggest it may be a cause for greater concern.

Snoring is caused by narrowed or obstructed air flow in the breathing passages which causes the tissues to vibrate, thus causing the sound of snoring. The blockage is usually caused by some combination of four things. These four main causes are nasal blockage, enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids, and floppy lower air passages, especially in premature babies.

Normally, air flows through the nasal passages which in children’s smaller noses is more easily affected by swelling of tissue structures in the nose called turbinates. These swell with allergy and infections forcing abnormal air flow through the mouth. Enlarged adenoids above the palate and behind the nose can do the same thing. Enlarged adenoids are often associated with enlarged tonsils, which only worsen the problem. While otherwise normal children can have these problems, premature babies sometimes have a “floppy” lower throat airway, which collapses during sleep. One or any combination of these problems can lead to snoring.

Physicians have known for a long time that 10% of snoring children have brief periods of totally obstructed breathing (sleep apnea) which is a serious problem requiring treatment by an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist. Now, new studies both in Germany and at the University of Louisville show other problems can be caused by snoring even without sleep apnea. The German study showed that children who snored continually were over three times as likely to do poorly in math, spelling and science because of sleeping poorly. Other studies have shown an association of snoring with attention deficit disorder, bedwetting, sleepwalking and poor growth.

I have seen a lot of children who snore and do not have these problems and most of them will outgrow snoring as they grow and their airways enlarge. Other children respond well to better control of their allergies or infections. Some however, require tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy or allergy testing and treatment to get better.

If your child snores, watch them closely during sleep for sleep apnea and advise your doctor of their snoring and any other problems they may have from sleeping poorly.

Dr. Chuck Guice