Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley CA
You watch over your child and want the best for them. However, have you ever paid attention to the way he or she breathes? Sleep breathing disorders have become a silent epidemic among children in the United States. Read on to educate yourself as to the warning signs of a sleep breathing disorder in your child, the possible consequences, and how the team of oral health professionals at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry can help.
Nine out of every 10 America exhibit symptoms of a sleep breathing disorder
A sleep breathing disorder refers to any condition that makes it more difficult to breathe during sleep. The spectrum of sleep breathing disorders includes snoring, upper airway resistance syndrome, and more serious issues such as obstructive sleep apnea.
Diagnosing a sleep breathing disorder in a child can be difficult
This is because there is a wider range of possible symptoms of one of these disorders in children. Symptoms can vary to such a great degree that the disorder often might be misdiagnosed as another issue. For example, children suffering from sleep apnea often exhibit symptoms that mimic a hyperactivity disorder such as ADD or ADHD. If a child is misdiagnosed with ADD or ADHD, then traditional remedies such as medication and behavioral counseling will not correct the problem. In fact, because the actual root cause – the sleep breathing disorder – is not being addressed. Instead, because that root issue is not resolved, the problem only will become worse with time.
What signs should I watch for?
Be aware of any of these issues in your child:
- Dark circles under the eyes
- Bed-wetting
- Snoring
- Mouth breathing
- Nightmares
- Restless sleep
- Lack of focus
- Poor performance at school
- Chronic allergies
- Irritability or unexplained mood swings
- Frequent headaches, especially first thing in the morning
- Swollen tonsils and/or adenoids
- Early treatment is key.
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition. Ignoring it is the worst thing you can do. You must seek the care of a medical professional who has specialized training and skills to treat the disorder. Severe, untreated sleep apnea only compounds the health problems as time passes, eventually raising the risk of life-threatening diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and even certain forms of cancer.
Sleep apnea treatment in Scotts Valley, Los Gatos and Santa Cruz in California
Sleep apnea dentistry is a growing specialization of the field that provides relief for sleep apnea patients by treating the root of the problem—the airway issue that is precipitating attacks. At Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry, we can treat sleep apnea dentistry in adults as well as children. We can identify the signs of an airway issue and treat whatever issue is causing the obstruction, usually by prescribing an oral appliance that helps to keep an open airway during sleep.
If your child is showing any combination of the above symptoms, schedule an airway evaluation today. The potential consequences are too serious to ignore! To make an appointment at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry, call (831) 838-4411 or contact us through our website.
