Children who snore or who have other sleep-related breathing problems are more likely to have behavioral problems years later, says a new study to be published in the April 2012 issue of Pediatrics.
Researchers asked a group of parents about their children’s snoring, mouth breathing, observed apnea and behavior, starting at age 6 months and then periodically until age 7 years.
By age 4, the children with sleep-disordered breathing were 20 percent to 60 percent more likely to have behavioral difficulties. By age 7, the likelihood jumped to 40 to 100 percent.
The worst symptoms were associated with the worst behavioral outcomes, meaning that the kids who faced more serious sleep-related breathing problems also tended to be more likely to struggle with behavior issues.
Study authors conclude that sleep-disordered breathing early in life can have a strong effect on behavior later in childhood.
Kids who have these difficulties may miss out on critical periods of brain development that researchers believe take place during deep sleep.
The study findings suggest that these symptoms may require attention as early as the first year of life.
Dr. Mark Brown, pediatric pulmonologist at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, and a member of the Arizona Chapter of the AAP, weighs in on kids and snoring:
When should a parent be concerned about snoring?
- When a child can be heard snoring outside of their room.
- When a child has disrupted sleep with short “pauses, snorts, or gasps” in their sleep.
- If the child is having behavioral problems, a short attention span and problems at school.
- If the child, especially an older child, frequently falls asleep during the day (i.e. in the car, during a TV show or movie, while reading).
- In severe cases, there can be difficulty with weight gain or obesity, or high blood pressure.
Is a little light snoring okay?
Light snoring without any of the above associated signs/symptoms may be “normal.” If there is any concern, the parent should consult with their child’s primary care physician.
How do you know when snoring needs medical attention?
If any of the above signs/symptoms are seen or if the parent is unsure about the significance of their child’s snoring they should consult with their child’s primary care physician.
RAK Archives: More on the consequences of too little sleep, and what families can do about it.
RAK Resources on respiratory issues: Take a Deep Breath by Dr. Nina Shapiro
Find out what technicians at the Sleep Center at Cardon Children’s Medical Center learn by watching children sleep: