Childhood sleep apnea, a prevalent condition, manifests as pauses in a child’s breathing during sleep due to airway obstruction or disrupted communication between the brain and breathing muscles. Globally, an estimated 1 billion people suffer from sleep apnea, with obstructive sleep apnea affecting 1% to 5% of children across all age groups, most commonly between ages 2 and 6.
Untreated childhood sleep apnea can pose various risks, including challenges in growth and development, enuresis (loss of bladder control), cardiopulmonary diseases, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Additionally, alterations in sleep patterns can impact a child’s behavior, emotions, and academic performance.
Recognizable signs of childhood sleep apnea during sleep include mouth breathing, snoring, breathing pauses, coughing/choking, restless sleep, night sweats, and sleepwalking/talking. Daytime symptoms may manifest as fatigue, lack of focus, irritability, aggressiveness, or morning headaches.
To address and treat airway obstruction in children, we offer the Vivos Guide Series of oral appliances for children. Dr. Lambert will conduct a comprehensive evaluation, taking all relevant clinical records, in order to formulate a customized treatment plan for your child. This treatment plan will likely include a number of integrative therapies that have been proven to ensure the best treatment outcomes.