Your breathing is repeatedly interrupted while you’re sleeping, which is a common and potentially dangerous sleep disorder called sleep apnea. Sleep apnea increases your risk of stroke and heart attack and, if untreated, can lead to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Toddlers, kids, and adults can all have sleep apnea, though some of the symptoms vary depending on your age.
Here is all the information you require regarding sleep apnea’s warning signs and symptoms.
Adult sleep apnea symptoms and signs
There is a good chance that you may have sleep apnea if you exhibit several of these 13 symptoms.
- You snore a lot.
- Your bed partner claims that you occasionally stop breathing while you sleep and snore.
- Sometimes you have a sudden awakening with shortness of breath.
- There are times when you awaken gasping or choking.
- You frequently get up to go to the bathroom.
- You have a dry mouth or a sore throat when you awaken.
- Your headache is a frequent wake-up call.
- You have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.
- You have excessive daytime sleepiness, or hypersomnia.
- While awake, you struggle with attention, concentration, or memory.
- You have erratic moods and are easily annoyed.
- You are at risk for sleep apnea if you are overweight or obese, consume alcohol, or smoke cigarettes.
- You are dealing with sexual dysfunction.
Sleep apnea symptoms in children
It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of kids who snore may also have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea affects 3 percent of kids nationwide, according to estimates.
Many kids with untreated sleep apnea experience learning, behavioural, and adaptive problems that resemble those of ADHD:
- learning difficulties
- poor attention span
- poor performance at school
Check your child for these sleep apnea warning signs:
- snoring
- mouth breathing both when awake and when sleeping
- breathing stops while you’re asleep
- bedwetting
- daytime slumber
Signs of sleep apnea in toddlers
If you suspect your child has a sleep disorder, keep an eye out for these sleep apnea warning signs while they’re dozing off:
- Snoring and breathing issues
- breathing breaks
- restlessness
- choking or hacking
- excessive perspiration
While they are awake, you can watch out for the following indicators:
- prone to crankiness, irritability, and frustration
- falling asleep when not necessary
- Health issues involving the tonsils or adenoids
- Both their weight and height are growing more slowly than they should.
when to visit the doctor
If you experience any of the sleep apnea warning signs, talk to your doctor about your symptoms. They might have suggestions for you that are specific to your circumstance, or they might refer you to a sleep expert. To help identify sleep apnea, they can perform a sleep study, also known as a polysomnogram. This test keeps track of a number of things, including blood oxygen levels, breathing, eye movement, and brain waves. Additionally measured are snoring, gasping, and pauses in breathing while sleeping.
If your child is exhibiting symptoms of sleep apnea, talk to your paediatrician about your worries. Your paediatrician ought to have several recommendations for treatment after a diagnosis. They will frequently suggest that you visit an otolaryngologist (an expert in the ear, nose, and throat) to determine whether having your tonsils and adenoids removed would be able to resolve the problem.
Review your observations with your paediatrician if you’ve noticed symptoms of sleep apnea in your toddler. Your toddler’s weight and any potential allergies will be taken into account in their diagnosis. The paediatrician may suggest that you see a pulmonologist (a lung specialist) or an otolaryngologist after examining your child’s upper airway. The advice might be to have your toddler’s tonsils and adenoids removed.
Takeaway
More people than you might imagine suffer from sleep apnea. And it doesn’t just apply to adults. There is a danger to your health if you, your child, or your toddler exhibit the sleep apnea warning signs. Schedule a consultation with your doctor to go over your worries, symptoms, and possible treatments.