Weight link to common sleep disorder
Children with bigger neck sizes may be at increased risk for sleep-related breathing disorders, according to a new study.
Researchers looked at 215 children aged 18 months to 18 years, 37.3% of whom were obese. They had an increased frequency of snoring and sleep apnea. “Children with bigger neck sizes for age should be queried about snoring, apnea, excessive sleepiness, and hyperactivity,” said study author Dr Pearl L Yu, of the University of Virginia. “Neck size should be considered in the clinical evaluation of children with a history of snoring and apnea.”
Sleep-related breathing disorders are a group of disorders that affect our breathing while we are asleep, and are characterized by disruptions of normal breathing patterns that only occur during sleep. The most common category of sleep-related breathing disorder is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which causes the body to stop breathing during sleep. OSA occurs when the tissue in the back of the throat collapses and blocks the airway. This keeps air from getting into the lungs.
OSA occurs in around 2% of young children and is more likely in children who have a family member with the disorder. It can develop in children at any age, but it is most common in preschoolers, often occurring between the ages of 3 and 6 years when the tonsils and adenoids are large compared to the throat. OSA appears to occur at the same rate in young boys and girls. How often it occurs in infants and teens is unknown but previous research has indicated that it’s common in children who are obese.
Although symptoms of OSA tend to appear in the first few years of life it often remains undiagnosed until many years later. In early childhood, OSA can slow a child’s growth rate – following treatment, sufferers tend to show gains in both height and weight. Untreated OSA also can lead to high blood pressure.
The main symptom you need to look out for is snoring – most children with OSA have a history of this. It tends to be loud and may include obvious pauses in breathing and gasps for breath. Sometimes the snoring involves a continuous, partial obstruction without any obvious pauses or arousals. The child’s body may move in response to the pauses in breathing. Other symptoms include excessive tiredness during the day, irritability, falling asleep during lessons (ask your child’s teacher if your child seems unusually tired at school) and poor grades. If you suspect your child might be suffering from OSA, or another sleep disorder, speak to her pediatrician or consult a sleep specialist.