What Is Your Child’s Sleep Telling You?
Snoring, mouth breathing, loud breathing or bedwetting may be easy to dismiss as childhood habits, but they can sometimes point to concerns with breathing, sleep or airway development. Dr. Stamm explains some of the signs parents can watch for and why understanding how a child sleeps and breathes can provide important clues about their airway, growth and development.
Key Takeaways
Snoring, mouth breathing and loud breathing during sleep can be signs that a child is having difficulty breathing comfortably at night.
Bedwetting and restless sleep can sometimes occur alongside sleep or airway concerns.
Daytime behavior and attention concerns may warrant looking at sleep quality and breathing as part of a broader evaluation.
Jaw size, facial growth, tongue space and airway development can influence how a child breathes and sleeps.
A comprehensive airway evaluation looks beyond one symptom to consider breathing, sleep, structure, growth and development together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is snoring normal in children?
Occasional snoring can happen, but frequent or persistent snoring may be a sign that a child is having difficulty moving air comfortably while sleeping. If your child regularly snores, an airway and sleep evaluation can help determine whether there is an underlying concern.
Why does my child breathe through their mouth while sleeping?
Mouth breathing can occur when nasal breathing is difficult or when structural or functional factors affect the way a child breathes. An evaluation may look at the nose, airway, jaw development, tongue posture and other factors to better understand why mouth breathing is occurring.
Can bedwetting be related to sleep or airway problems?
Bedwetting can have many causes, but it can sometimes occur alongside sleep-disordered breathing and other nighttime breathing concerns. When bedwetting is accompanied by snoring, mouth breathing or restless sleep, it may be worth discussing those symptoms with a qualified provider.
Can poor sleep affect a child’s attention or behavior?
Yes. Inadequate or disrupted sleep can affect attention, mood and daytime behavior in children. Because sleep and breathing problems can sometimes contribute to poor-quality sleep, evaluating nighttime breathing may be appropriate when other symptoms are also present.
What are signs my child may have an airway problem?
Signs can include frequent snoring, mouth breathing, loud breathing, restless sleep, bedwetting, teeth grinding or difficulty getting restorative sleep. Daytime symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating or behavioral changes may also occur. An evaluation can help determine whether these symptoms are related to the airway, sleep or another cause.
When should my child have an airway evaluation?
If your child regularly snores, breathes through their mouth, sleeps restlessly or shows several signs of disrupted sleep, an airway evaluation can help determine whether breathing, jaw development, tongue posture or other structural and functional factors may be contributing.
Transcript
Signs of Airway and Sleep Problems in Children
There are several signs and symptoms parents can watch for that may indicate their child is experiencing sleep, breathing, airway, or growth and development concerns.
Snoring is a big one. Mouth breathing or loud breathing during sleep can also be signs that a child may not be breathing as comfortably as they should.
Another sign parents may not immediately connect with sleep or airway health is bedwetting. When it occurs alongside other sleep or breathing symptoms, it can be another reason to take a closer look at what is happening at night.
We also pay attention to daytime symptoms, including concerns with focus, attention and behavior. Sleep and breathing can be important pieces of that larger picture, so rather than looking at one symptom in isolation, we want to understand how a child is sleeping, breathing and developing.
We also evaluate structure, including jaw growth and the amount of space available for the tongue and airway.
One simple way I explain healthy sleep to parents is that we want children to be dry, quiet and still while they sleep. If they are regularly snoring, mouth breathing, moving excessively or showing other signs of disrupted sleep, it may be worth looking deeper.