child sleep apnea?

[maestramommy]

Arwyn has always had a stuffy nose. Never went away after birth. She tends to be an open mouth breather, but breathes through her nose when asleep when she sucks her thumb. We've been on a trip this last week and cosleep, and I've noticed a few things.

In the middle of the night she gets really congested. She snores, snorts, and actually stops breathing for a couple of seconds. The sinus drip makes her cough, and it's just nasty. But what worries me is the pauses in breathing. she seems fine during the day, coughs a little, but not much and I can't tell if she's congested or not, beyond occasionally open mouth breathing.

Is this normal? or could she have sleep apnea? In her wellchecks the ped has never mentioned her having enlarged tonsils or adenoids. But during a sick visit I mentioned her chronic congestion, and he said let's talk about it at the next well check. That's the end of May.

I am planning on seeing him as soon as we get back and asking him for a referral for an audiologist and ENT anyway, because I want to have her hearing tested and ruled out as a possible issue for language. Do I also ask him about these other issues?

[LexyLou]

DD1 had sleep apnea. Your regular ped wouldn't notice the enlarged adenoids. They either need to xray them or stick a long camera snake up their nose.

But I was also shocked that our ped never mentioned DD1's HUGE tonsils. The ENT said they were a 4 on a scale of 1-5. I asked the ped and he said lots of kids have large tonsils but if it doesn't cause issues they don't even bring it up...

Anyway, we had a lot of the issues you mention; never ever had a runny nose, mouth breather, snorer, did the gasping for air thing. But the biggest thing is that she NEVER took longer than a 35 min nap, which we learned was because was changing sleep cycles and her body couldn't make the transition and #2 she would "sleep" 14+ hours a night and still wake up exhausted and grumpy. She was a very miserable child. Just so overtired and we had no idea.

So we took her to the ENT who said her tonsils were a 4/5 and her adenoids were an 8/10. Had them both removed and it wasn't even 1 month later when a different child emerged. No more melt downs, she paid attention in preschool, and she was happy.

I don't know if that's what your DD has but it doesn't hurt to see an ENT. It really changed DD's life.

[hillview]

DS2 had this. Go see an ENT. My pedi didn't think anything was wrong (DS2 had constant stuffy nose). Turns out DS2 had heading issues due to enlarged adenoids and tonsils.

Good luck!
/hillary

[daphne]

My DS's tonsils range from 3+ to 4+, depending on whether he's sick or not. He does the scary breathing thing at night, where he stops breathing for several seconds, when he's congested or sick. Last winter, his ENT put him on a nasal (steroid, I think, which I wasn't wild about, but it was a low dose) and it helped his breathing. This year, DS has strep, so the antibiotics cleared up his breathing. I'd definitely see the ped & ENT when you get back.

[maestramommy]

Thanks ladies. I will definitely see the docs when we get back. Arwyn almost never has a runny nose either. Can't understand it when she's sick. I mean, she's so congested she has trouble eating but her nose is dry.

She does however, sleep very long. She still naps 2-3 hours in the afternoon if I let her, and I have to drag her out of bed most mornings. But lately I have noticed that whether I wake her her she wakes herself up from nap she is still SO CRANKY. It's like she never took a nap. I thought maybe it was just being 3.5, but maybe there's more to it.

[elephantmeg]

absolutely. all those signs point directly to OSA (obstructive sleep apnea). Could you call the ped and go ahead and go straight to an ENT. They are really the only ones that can diagnose this.

[jamesmom]

Glad you are planning to see an ENT. DS had all this too. He was finally seen by an ENT, who diagnosed him with sleep apnea due to large tonsils and adenoids. He got his tonsils and adenoids removed last year. He's sleeping so much better and no longer has a constant runny nose.

[happymomma]

My DS also was diagnosed to have obstructive sleep apnea. We went to the ENT. In addition, we did a sleep study to find out. I didn't realize how bad it was until we got the results. After the tonsils and adenoids were taken out, he slept much better. No more obstruction. It's funny that the pediatrician never recommended it. We went on our own and am so glad I did. My son sleeps much better now.

[maestramommy]

Actually, I don't need a ped referral since we have a PPO, I just usually like to talk to our ped first, but since he gave me a card for an ENT he really likes last year (yes, my BAD), I will dig it up and call them direct. Thanks for the feedback!

[elephantmeg]

Actually, I don't need a ped referral since we have a PPO, I just usually like to talk to our ped first, but since he gave me a card for an ENT he really likes last year (yes, my BAD), I will dig it up and call them direct. Thanks for the feedback!

honestly, 2 yo is the hardest age to have tonsils/adnoids out in my experience as a peds nurse. So hopefully it will be a little easier at 3.5 if that is the reccomendation!