For most parents, there’s nothing more reassuring than the sight and sound of your young child sleeping peacefully in his (or her) bed. But there are times when the scene isn’t so peaceful. It is downright alarming if you hear loud snoring, long pauses in breathing or gasping sounds. Any or all of those may indicate a condition called pediatric apnea.
At the office of Perry L. Jeffries, DDS and Associates, PA, we’ll carefully evaluate your child for the condition. If he does indeed suffer from it, we are going to provide effective orthodontic treatments and oral appliances to support positive airway changes that will alleviate the symptoms.
While more commonly related to adults, apnea could be a potentially serious upset within which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. The main risk factors of the condition are excess weight plus advancing age, but in children, the foremost common causes are enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids.
Because pauses in breathing interrupt the traditional sleep cycle, sleep quality is poor, and, as a result, your child will feel tired throughout the day. The condition is caused by the narrowing or blockage of the upper airway during sleep. And while enlarged tonsils and adenoids are the foremost common causes, there are other risk factors that may act as triggers. Left undiagnosed, pediatric obstructive sleep disorder can cause major health consequences.
Pediatric obstructive apnea affects 1 to 3 percent of youngsters. We will work with your child’s medical team to see if treatment can improve symptoms. One choice among those treatments is oral appliance therapy, which involves dental mouthpieces that your child wears throughout the night while he sleeps. The appliance prevents the obstruction of air, helping your child breathe easier and sleep better.
At the office of Perry L. Jeffries, DDS and Associates, PA, we’re dedicated to providing the best quality of skilled and compassionate care. For more information about our practice and the many other types of services we offer, please make an appointment today!
By Perry L. Jeffries, DDS and Associates, PA
May 26, 2021
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