Breathing Problems During Sleep Associated with Serious Health Consequences in Children

 

Two recent studies show serious concern for infants and children with breathing problems during sleep. The first study, conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), found that one year olds with sleep apnea or slow heart rate during sleep scored lower on mental development tests than other one year olds. The second study, funded primarily by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), found that five-year-old children who had frequent snoring, loud or noisy breathing during sleep, or sleep apneas scored lower on intelligence, memory, and other standard cognitive tests than other children their age. They were also more likely to have behavioral problems.

Carl E. Hunt, M.D. director of the NIH National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR) notes that brain development is not complete until at least late childhood leaving children vulnerable to sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) symptoms and their consequences, especially if such symptoms begin during infancy or early childhood. “Brain areas, such as the prefrontal cortex, which regulate executive function, might be particularly susceptible to damage from SDB”, writes Hunt.

What does this mean for parents of infants and children whose breathing during sleep is compromised by congestion, snoring or apnea? Daniel Gottlieb, M.D., M.P.H., lead author of the second study warned, “Parents need to be aware that their child’s snoring could signal serious problems.” Hunt urges parents and pediatricians to look out for breathing problems in their babies and young children. “If we can identify these children before the effects on mental development have occurred, the challenge then will be to identify possible ways to intervene and prevent any reduced potential for doing their best in school.”

In NSF’s 2004 Sleep In America poll, one in ten parent/caregivers said their children had trouble breathing and loud or heavy breathing while sleeping at least a few nights a week. The poll also revealed that 16% of the respondents noted their children snoring a few nights a week. Read the results of the poll and read more about sleep problems in children. Get your kids involved by visiting sleepforkids.org today!

Due to a sudden shortage of flu vaccinations, you may not be getting that shot you’ve been dreading. That said; there are ways to help ward off the flu this season. Eve Van Cauter, PhD, of the University of Chicago urges, “If you don’t sleep enough the data suggests that you are more at risk of a viral infection.” If you are among those who are still getting the precious flu shot – be sure to make the best use of it. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association by Karine Spiegel, PhD, and Eve Van Cauter, PhD, of the University of Chicago and John F. Sheridan, PhD, of Ohio State University looked at a group of people sleeping only four hours a night and a group sleeping normally. The study showed that the sleep-deprived group produced less than half the flu-fighting antibodies as the rested group in the first ten days after vaccination. Find out more about the study and how good sleep hygiene can help you beat the flu . Also learn how to help yourself to a good night’s sleep.