Snoring in children: What parents need to know

Posted by Doctor Pediatrician - Pediatric Center - Vinmec Times City International Hospital

Sleep is one of the most important factors for a child's development. However, sleep disorders such as snoring in children are often ignored by parents without knowing it can be the cause and sign of many diseases that children have.

Snoring is a condition that occurs when the structures of your respiratory system begin to vibrate, this is caused by obstructions to your body's airways, the vibrations lead to audible sounds. Through the body's airways, these sounds can be soft, but are usually quite loud and can be heard by a person nearby. Snoring is one of the leading causes of sleep deprivation and is considered a symptom of another condition called sleep apnea syndrome.
There are two types of snoring, habits and symptoms. Habitual snoring is when it is sustained for a long time and is not external, while symptomatic snoring is caused by changes in external conditions such as weather and can go away. Snoring symptoms are harmless over time, habitual snoring is harmful. In the long run, this condition can affect the health of the child. Persistent snoring should not be ignored in both adults and children.

Asthma: A condition that interferes with the ability to breathe, asthma can be one of the main reasons why children snore. If your child snores, wheezes and coughs, it could be a sign of asthma. Influenza: Some types of flu cause blockages along the airways, leading to symptomatic snoring. This will go away on its own as the body heals. Deviated nasal septum: A deviated septum can impede the flow of air through a child's nose and interfere with breathing, causing snoring Weight: If the child's weight is disproportionate, it can cause sleep disturbances such as snoring because fat can cause airway obstruction.

Tonsillitis : Tonsillitis is the most common cause of snoring in children. Allergies: Allergic rhinitis can cause edema of the conjunctiva and is one of the common causes of snoring in children. Neuromuscular disease: Because organs slow down during sleep, the nerves that control breathing muscles can become disturbed and this can cause snoring. Sleep apnea in children: This is a condition mentioned quite often here, sleep apnea can cause children to wake up to force them to breathe during the night, which consumes more energy. Normal breathing rhythms and can cause babies to snore and this is also the reason why babies wake up tired. Sleep apnea is also known to cause many problems such as depression and anxiety and if severe enough can even lead to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

It is important to distinguish that not all snoring is considered dangerous or a sleep disturbance, systemic snoring in children is considered normal due to weak immune systems and underdeveloped organs. When developing, this type of snoring occurs only when there is an external change such as the weather or the child is sick and will dissipate quickly. Accordingly, soft snoring is also not considered too dangerous for children, although parents should still see a doctor.
To diagnose a child's snoring as a sleep disorder, the snoring must be loud, gradually louder or persist for a continuous period of time. They are unaffected by external sources or other airway obstruction.

Here are some tips that can help with snoring:
Put your baby to sleep on their side, as sleeping on their back is known to aggravate snoring. If your child already snores, sleeping on their side can help them breathe more efficiently. Make sure your child maintains an appropriate body weight. Adjust the child's diet Provide adequate fluids Use all medications as prescribed Encourage children to be active and play sports Encourage children to swim. Swimming improves and regulates lung functions Dress for the weather. Keep good hygiene

Children need to provide enough elemental zinc/day for them to eat well, reach the correct height and weight and exceed the standard. Zinc plays a role in affecting most biological processes taking place in the body, especially the breakdown of nucleic acids, proteins... Organs in the body when zinc deficiency can lead to a There are a number of diseases such as neurological disorders, irritability, etc. Therefore, parents need to learn about the role of zinc and guide them to appropriate zinc supplements for their children.
In addition to zinc, parents also need to supplement their children with other important vitamins and minerals such as lysine, chromium, B vitamins,... errands.
Please regularly visit Vinmec.com website and update useful information to take care of your baby and family.