As parents, we spend a lot of time making sure our children are eating well, staying active, and getting enough sleep. But what if the hours your child spends in bed are not as restorative as they should be? Sleep disordered breathing, or SDB, is a term that describes a range of conditions where a child’s breathing is disrupted during sleep. It is more common than most parents realize, and its effects reach far beyond just snoring.
What is Sleep Disordered Breathing?
Sleep disordered breathing exists on a spectrum, from mild snoring to more significant conditions like obstructive sleep apnea. What all of these conditions have in common is that they interfere with the quality of a child’s sleep by disrupting their breathing at night. When a child cannot breathe well during sleep their brain and body cannot fully rest, and the effects of that show up in ways that many parents and even many healthcare providers do not immediately connect to breathing.
Signs to Watch For
Some signs of sleep disordered breathing are easy to spot at night, while others show up during the day in ways that might surprise you. Here are some of the most common things to look for:
At night:
- Snoring, even occasionally
- Mouth breathing while sleeping
- Restless sleep or frequent position changes
- Excessive sweating during sleep
- Gasping or pausing in breathing
- Teeth grinding
- Nighttime wake-ups
- Bedwetting beyond the expected age
During the day:
- Difficulty waking up or feeling unrested after a full night of sleep
- Daytime sleepiness or irritability
- Difficulty focusing, hyperactivity, or behaviors that look like ADHD
- Mouth breathing during the day
- Chronic nasal congestion or frequent ear infections
- Speech concerns or a tendency to breathe through the mouth while talking
- Sensory sensitivities or food avoidance
- Dark circles or puffiness under the eyes
Why These Symptoms Are Connected to Breathing
Many of these daytime symptoms are not what most people would associate with a breathing problem, but the connection makes a lot of sense once you understand what is happening at night. When a child’s airway is restricted during sleep their brain is working hard to keep them breathing rather than allowing them to move through the deep, restorative stages of sleep. The result is that even a child who appears to be sleeping for a full eight or ten hours may be waking up without having gotten the deep sleep their brain and body need to recover, grow, and regulate. Over time this chronic sleep disruption shows up as behavioral concerns, difficulty focusing, emotional dysregulation, and fatigue, symptoms that are frequently attributed to other causes before anyone thinks to look at the airway.
What Causes Sleep Disordered Breathing in Children?
In many cases sleep disordered breathing in children is related to how the jaw and airway are developing. When the jaws are narrow and underdeveloped there is less space in the mouth for the tongue to rest properly, and during sleep the tongue can fall back toward the airway and restrict or block airflow. Mouth breathing, tongue ties, and habits like thumb sucking can all contribute to the patterns of jaw underdevelopment that make sleep disordered breathing more likely. This is why addressing jaw development early, while a child is still growing, is such a powerful intervention.
When to Seek an Evaluation
If you recognize some of these signs in your child it is worth having them evaluated by an airway focused dental provider. A standard dental checkup does not typically screen for airway concerns, so it is important to seek out a provider who is specifically trained to evaluate jaw development, breathing patterns, and the soft tissue factors that contribute to sleep disordered breathing. Early intervention gives children the best opportunity to develop a healthy airway and the quality sleep their growing brains and bodies need.
Dr. Angelina Blass is an airway focused provider with a focus on jaw development, functional growth appliances, and expansive orthodontics. With advanced training in airway dentistry, Dr. Blass works with families to identify and address the root causes of sleep disordered breathing in children before they become harder to correct. If you have questions about your child’s breathing or sleep, we would love to help. Reach out to us to learn more or to schedule a consultation.
