Sleep Disordered Breathing in Children

                                                                                                       Dr.Fredrick Schilling DDS, Skyway Dental Clinic

1. Does your child sleep in an abnormal position,

with his/her headf off of the bed or propped up with pillows?                                                                                              YES          NO

2. Does your child snore loudly?                                                                                                                                                YES          NO

3. Does your child stop breathing during the night for

period of 10 to 20 seconds followed by choking, gasping, or waking up?                                                                         YES          NO

4. Does your child sweat heavily during sleep?                                                                                                                       YES          NO

5. Does your child sleep restlessly?                                                                                                                                          YES          NO

6. Does your child wet the bed?                                                                                                                                                  YES          NO

7. Does your child have swollen tonsils and/or adenoids?                                                                                                   YES          NO

8. Is your child difficult to wake up, even though sleep should have been long enough?                                               YES          NO

9. Does your child have headaches during the day, particularly in the morning?                                                             YES          NO

10. Is your child irritable, aggressive, or cranky?                                                                                                                     YES          NO

11. Does your child fall asleep or daydream in school or at home?                                                                                    YES          NO

12. Is he or she having school-related or other behavioral problems?                                                                               YES          NO

13. Has he or she been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (ADHD)?                                     YES          NO

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your child could suffer from Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB).

Sleep Disordered Breathing is the result of nighttime respiratory problems due to an abstructed, narrowed or collapsed airway.  SDB affetcs adults and children alike.

-Your child's snoring or labored breathing may be the vibration of the airway against swollen tonsils or adenoids as air tries to pass through to the lungs.

-It could also be a result of constriction due to structural problems in the teeth, jaw, or nasal passages.

-SDB ranges in severity, from snoring to differing degrees of airway obstruction.  At its most severe, the child chokes and wakes up.

-Your child may need an evaluation by an ENT, dentist, or physician.  A polysomnography (overnight sleep study) may also be indicated.