Is it ADHD, or does your child have sleep apnea?
Notes from Dr. Norman Blumenstock
Older research from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) confirm that there seems to a ADHD connection with obstructive sleep apnea.
Lana B. Patitucci, D.O., Doctor of Osteopathy, Pennsylvania Snoring & Sleep Institute
POSTED: Wednesday, May 7, 2014, 2:23 PM
Children with sleep apnea may complain of being tired during the day and, at the same time, exhibit hyperactive behavior or act impulsively. Herein lays the confusion of separating sleep apnea from ADHD because many of the classic symptoms of ADHD are often exhibited in children with OSA. So, as a parent of a child diagnosed with ADHD, what do you do?
It will be in your child’s best interest if you dig a little deeper into the root of what may be causing these behaviors. Watch your child sleep at night – and even record it if you can. Check for restlessness, mouth breathing, snoring, or breathing pauses. If they occur, have your child evaluated for possible sleep apnea to ensure the proper diagnosis and treatment.
Figuring out if your child has sleep apnea or ADHD may seem quite complex but it doesn’t have to be. Consult with a sleep apnea doctor if you can answer ‘yes’ to any or some of the following questions:
– Does your child snore?
– Does your child stop breathing for a few seconds at night?
– Does your child frequently mouth breathe?
– Does your child sleep through the night or is it a restless sleep?
– Is there frequent bedwetting?
– Does your child seem irritable during the day? Is there difficulty focusing? Are there periods of hyperactivity?
The good news is that sleep apnea is treatable. Enlarged tonsils and adenoids are the most common causes of sleep apnea in children. An Ear, Nose and Throat specialist can determine if your child’s tonsils and adenoids are enlarged and possibly blocking the airway at night. A tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy can successfully treat sleep apnea by removing the obstruction in the airway resulting in a complete elimination of symptoms in 80-90% of children.
Dr. Lana B. Patitucci, D.O. is a Board Certified Otolaryngologist at The Pennsylvania Snoring and Sleep Institute. She is trained in all aspects of general and pediatric otolaryngology including endoscopic sinus, otologic, head and neck, and facial plastic surgery. Her hospital affiliations include Abington Surgical Center, Blue Bell, Chestnut Hill, Einstein Medical, Mercy Suburban, and Roxborough Memorial Hospital