Despite the fact that we have known for a considerable time now that children who are suffering from sleep apnea normally turn in low scores on IQ tests (in general scoring in the region of 85 as opposed to a score of 101 for children without sleep apnea) what has not been known until very recently is that this results from chemical changes within the brain. What this means is that a naturally 'clever' child may well turn in an average performance because of nothing more than a sleep disorder which can be relatively easily treated in most instances.

In a recent study which was conducted at the Hopkin's Children's Centre 31 children aged between 6 and 16 (19 of whom were suffering from severe sleep apnea) were examined under a special form or magnetic resonance imaging and it was discovered that those children who were suffering from sleep apnea showed significant alterations in both the right frontal cortex and hippocampus - two sections of the brain that are associated with higher mental function and learning. The same study also found that these children had altered levels of three chemicals within the brain that is a sign of brain damage.

This change in the brain chemistry stemming from sleep apnea may or may not be permanent and additional studies are needed to see whether this affect is reversible. Nonetheless, even if this difficulty can be reversed and the cognitive function and brain chemistry can be returned to normal, children with sleep apnea are going to show a loss in learning as long as they are suffering from sleep apnea which is not treated and will certainly be unable to turn back the clock and recover this learning period.

Parents should naturally already be watching for signs of sleep apnea in their children but this study indicates that an early diagnosis of this particular sleep disorder could well have a very significant affect on your child's success in life.

The indicators of sleep apnea might include numerous pauses in breathing while sleeping which often cause an arousal from sleep and tossing and turning. Children may also display labored and loud breathing, snoring, coughing, gasping and, now and again, bedwetting at a time when this period in development should normally have passed. Parents might additionally note that a child is sleeping in an unusual position, perhaps with their bottom sticking up in the air and their head tilted back in an unconscious attempt to force open their airway.

In nearly all instances sleep apnea in children may be treated by the surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids or excess tissue from the rear of the throat or from the nose. In addition, a CPAP (continuous positive airways pressure) machine could also be recommended to provide a child with a flow of air which is delivered through a mask worn while sleeping to keep the airway open.

Sleep apnea is in itself detrimental to any child and the affects of night after night of poor quality sleep will take a toll on your child's health. But, when you combine this with an impairment of your child's IQ, it becomes vital that you act as fast as possible to have this problem diagnosed and then treated.