Snoring and Sleep Disordered Breathing

Snoring, disturbed sleep, and big tonsils

Simple snoring affects 10-12% of children. However in 2-4% of children there is snoring that is so severe that it leads to disturbed sleep – or Sleep Disordered Breathing. Children with Sleep Disordered Breathing can have the following features when they are asleep

• Loud snoring
• Snorting or choking sounds
• Pauses in their breathing (apnoea)
• Restlessness
• Sweating
• Bed-wetting

As a result of this condition, the daytime functioning of children is affected. They can have difficulty concentrating, they can be disorganised in their actions, and they can be hyperactive. It can also affect the child’s thinking processes and learning ability.

In severe cases, growth can be significantly affected, and the right side of the heart can be put under strain.

By far the most common cause of this condition in children is Adenotonsillar Hyperplasia – or, big adenoids and big tonsils. Removing the adenoids and tonsils leads to the resolution of these problems in the vast majority of these children.

This condition is becoming the most common reason for removal of the adenoids and tonsils in young children.