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[S549]Sleep Apnea Children Symptoms

by Donald Saunders, Don

The commonest form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea which, as its name implies, arises from an obstruction to your airways that produces problems with breathing. In addition, there is a second form of sleep apnea known as central sleep apnea, in which your brain cannot adequately control your breathing during sleep. Finally, some people suffer from mixed sleep apnea, which is a combination of both obstructive and central forms of this sleep disorder.

Sleep apnea symptoms can arise at any time and, although they are most often found in overweight men who are over the age of forty, they can be found in both men and women of all ages and are being seen quite frequently now in children.

The most noticeable symptom of sleep apnea is snoring which is unfortunately a hard symptom to spot yourself and usually has got to be pointed out to you by your sleeping partner. There can be many reasons for snoring and snoring is not in itself a sign that you are suffering from sleep apnea. Most sleep apnea sufferers do snore.

The second most noticeable symptom of sleep apnea is unusual tiredness during the day. With sleep apnea you stop breathing frequently throughout the night and your body's instinctive reaction to this is to wake you just enough for you to begin breathing again, but not enough for you to be aware of the fact that you are being awakened. The result of this is that your sleep is extremely light and continually interrupted and you cannot enjoy the deep sleep which the body needs in order to recharge its batteries. As a result, in time, you find that you are getting ever more tired during the day.

If sleep apnea is left untreated its affects will begin to become increasingly evident and a range of further symptoms will begin to appear. These may include headaches (especially first thing in the morning), tetchiness and sometimes depression. You could also find that you are beginning to put on weight.

A not quite so obvious symptom of sleep apnea is raised blood pressure which can result in a number of cardiovascular problems. This will be detected if you are among the increasing number of people who now monitor their own blood pressure at home but might not otherwise be seen until you call in for a routine physical exam with your physician.

Another increasingly common symptom is that of learning difficulties and difficultues with memory. Again this is not easy to see yourself but friends and family might well notice that you are not as fast on the uptake as you used to be.

Some sleep apnea sufferers will experience a decline in sexual function and this could ultimately result in impotency.

As is the case with with many conditions individual symptoms could be a sign of almost anything. But, if you begin to see these symptoms alongside each onther then you ought to think about consulting your doctor and possibly consider being tested for sleep apnea.

One word of caution. Sleep apnea testing will often mean referral to a sleep specialist, preferably one certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM), and might mean undergoing overnight sleep testing either at home or in a sleep laboratory. These tests will often cost more than $1,000 and you should check with your insurance company before you commit yourself to any program of sleep apnea testing.

The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea which, as its name implies, results from an obstruction to the airways that produces problems with breathing. Additionally, there is a second form of sleep apnea called central sleep apnea, in which the brain does not adequately control breathing during sleep. A significant number of people suffer from mixed sleep apnea, which is a mixture of obstructive sleep apnea and central forms of the condition.

Sleep apnea symptoms may arise at any time and, while they are most often seen in overweight men who are over forty, they may be seen in men and women at any age and are increasingly being seen today in children.

The most obvious symptom of sleep apnea is snoring which is unfortunately a hard symptom to spot yourself and generally has to be pointed out to you by your sleeping partner. There can be many causes for snoring and the presence of snoring is not by itself an indication that you have sleep apnea. Most sleep apnea sufferers do snore.

The second most obvious sleep apnea symptom is excessive tiredness during the day. When you are suffering from sleep apnea you stop breathing many times throughout the night and the body's instinctive reaction to this is to wake you just sufficiently to start you breathing again, but not enough for you to be aware of the fact that you are being awakened. The result of this is that your sleep is extremely light and continually interrupted and you cannot enjoy the deep sleep that your body needs in order to recharge its batteries. As a result, over time, you find yourself getting increasingly tired and sleepy during the day.

If sleep apnea is left untreated its affects will start to become more and more evident and further symptoms will start to appear. These may include headaches (particularly early in the morning), petulance and sometimes depression. You may also notice yourself starting to put on weight.

One not quite so obvious symptom of sleep apnea is a rise in blood pressure which can lead to several cardiovascular problems. This will be detected if you are among the growing number of individuals who are now monitoring their blood pressure at home but otherwise might not be seen until you have a routine physical exam at your doctor's office.

Yet another symptom is that of learning difficulties and difficultues with memory. Again this is not easy to detect yourself but friends and family may notice that you are no longer as fast on the uptake as you used to be.

A few sleep apnea sufferers will experience a decline in their sexual function and this could ultimately lead to impotency.

As with a lot of medical conditions individual symptoms could well be a sign of just about anything. But, if you start to notice these symptoms coming together then you should think about talking to your doctor and possibly think about having yourself tested for sleep apnea.

One word of warning though. Testing for sleep apnea will frequently mean referral to a sleep specialist, preferably one certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM), and might involve undergoing overnight sleep testing either at home or in a sleep laboratory. This testing can often cost in excess of $1,000 and you should check with your health insurer before committing yourself to a program of sleep apnea testing.

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Both Donald Saunders & Don Saunders are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Donald Saunders has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health Insurance, Forex Training and Diabetes Treatment. Help-Me-To-Sleep.com offers information and advice on a range of different sleep disorders including sleep apnea and looks at among. Donald Saunders's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.

Don Saunders has sinced written about articles on various topics from Types of Cancer, Sleep Apnea and K 15. Help-Me-To-Sleep.com offers information and advice on a range of different sleep disorders including sleep apnea and looks at amongst ot. Don Saunders's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.