I’ve been working with children since I was a teenager, and during that time I’ve known several kids with childhood sleep apnea.  Evidently it’s not uncommon for kids to have obstructed airways, which close periodically throughout the night, causing the child to stop breathing temporarily.  Unfortunately, this can cause a child to be extremely tired all the time, which also results in a myriad of behavioral symptoms such as irritability.

One kid with childhood sleep apnea was a little boy I babysat for.  I remember his mom telling me that he had sleep apnea; at the time, I don’t think I knew yet what it was.  It was definitely a little scary to hear him stop breathing periodically on the baby monitor, no matter for how short a time it was.

Another kid I babysat for always snored very loudly during sleep, and periodically he would stop breathing too.  His parents were a little more aware of the situation, and eventually had his tonsils removed.  Since then, he hasn’t snored or had any problems with breathing continuously during sleep.

Depending on what causes the problem, there are several different treatments for childhood sleep apnea:

• Removing the child’s tonsils.  If the child’s airway is being blocked by enlarged tonsils, this will eliminate the problem.
• Using a CPAP machine.  A CPAP machine keeps the child’s airway from closing by blowing a steady stream of air down the child’s throat.  CPAP equipment includes the machine, a mask that straps onto the child’s face, and a tube that carries air from the machine to the child.
• Using a BiPAP machine.  This is another type of sleep apnea machine, but is generally a little easier for the patient to get used to.  Instead of maintaining a constant pressure, there are two separate settings: one for inhaling, and the other for exhaling.  In other words, the machine lets off a little bit as the patient exhales.

Childhood sleep apnea can be very scary for the parents, not to mention it makes the child tired all the time.  Getting the proper treatment is extremely important, both for your own stress levels as well as for the child’s well being.