Snoring is a condition mostly known to affect adults and the elderly. However, new studies have proven that snoring affects about 20 percent of the children in the US.

Mostly, snoring in children is caused due to common factors like cold or the presence of any allergies. However, it might also be caused due to other problems like a deviated septum or sleep apnea. Snoring is not persistent among children as it is in adults and occurs only on a small percentage of them. Nonetheless, it should be treated early, as repeated snoring episodes can hinder the normal development of the child.

Causes of Snoring in Children

Inflamed Tonsils and Adenoid – Inflamed tonsils and adenoids are one of the key causes of snoring in children. When inflamed, these glands can cause obstruction in the airways, thus resulting in snoring. Such inflammations are either inherent or occur due to specific infections like tonsillitis.

Abnormal Anatomy – Abnormal anatomical development of a child can also lead to snoring. It can also lead to the snoring to increase as the child gets older. Abnormalities can result in the development of narrow throat, small jaws, deformed nostrils, deviated septum, thin airways, and inappropriate alignment of the teeth.

Muscle and Nerve Coordination Issues – Lack of proper coordination between the nerves and the muscles can result in the breathing to become irregular. If the child has any kind of nerve damage or low muscle action, it can lead to the improper functioning of the airways thus resulting in low air intake and snoring.

Effects of Snoring on the Child’s Health

Children are vulnerable to a host of issues because of snoring since they are in their crucial developmental period. Snoring is known to have an effect on the physical, mental, and emotional health of a child. Continuous snoring among children can even translate into heart diseases and other respiratory ailments. Besides, snoring in children can also lead to developing hypertension and high cholesterol from an early age.

Another notable effect of snoring is in the mental and emotional well being of a child. Snoring can lead to a decreased quality of sleep, which can considerably affect the child’s ability to concentrate and remain alert during the day thus draining them of energy. Note that all the said health issues can become quite complicated if left untreated when the child grows up.

Solutions

There are many treatment methods for curing snoring among children. This mainly involves making adjustments in the diet or by teaching them with various physical exercises involving the neck areas. However, these snoring solutions only relieve snoring to some extent. Using devices like an anti snoring mouth guard is the best way to fully cure snoring among children.

When compared to other treatment options, anti snoring mouth guards are compatible for use by children and permanently cure snoring with regular use. Besides, these mouth guards can also help in the proper alignment of the jaws in the child, thus preventing any instances of snoring in the future.