A Parent’s Guide to Sleep Apnea in Children

In dealing with any chronic condition, a good support system is essential for sustaining motivation and positive outlook. The parents are the child’s most important support system and designated medical decision maker. As such, it’s important for parents to educate themselves and ask the right people regarding the child’s ailment.

Undergoing surgery or sleeping with a bulky breathing device may decrease the child’s quality of life. In dealing with childhood sleep apnea, it’s best to pinpoint exactly what causes it and explore every non-invasive way to circumvent it or totally cure it. For example, enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids commonly cause childhood sleep apnea but it is advised to not be too quick to resort to putting the child under the knife to resolve it. Talk to a pediatrician first about what causes the enlargement and seek alternatives from there. Enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids are commonly caused by immune responses triggered by infections or allergens, which can be easily avoided.