If your child has been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, it means he or she is experiencing airway blockage during sleep.
Overview
This happens when the muscle tone in the throat relaxes and throat tissues collapse to block some of the airflow, causing your child to wake many times during the night. This is a common problem that often goes undiagnosed because symptoms can be different in children than they are in adults. In children, enlarged tonsils and adenoids are the most common cause. The shape of your child’s face, jaw or tongue, as well as obesity, can also play a role in sleep apnea.
Our approach
M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital physicians provide your child with comprehensive, coordinated care from a variety of medical specialties. Physicians will confirm your child’s sleep apnea with an overnight sleep study in a sleep lab specifically designed for pediatric patients. You will be able to sleep in a bed near your child.
During the sleep study, technicians will place electrodes and sensors on your child’s body to measure brain and muscle activity, electrical activity of the heart, oxygen content in the blood, movement of the chest and abdomen, airflow through the mouth and nose, and the number of sleep apnea episodes during the night.
Sleep apnea may sound harmless, but if it is left untreated, it can cause growth, learning or behavior problems, and medical conditions such as heart problems.