Pediatric Sleep Dentistry

Sleep is extremely important for children and it plays a vital role in repairing, restoring their mental and physical health development.

Woefully, many children don’t get a good quality of sleep and many left unnoticed.

On recent days, many children are affected with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) which is impacting the wellbeing of a children.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea ?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder in which your child’s breathing is partially or completely paused for few seconds/minutes during sleep.

This can happen even as multiple episodes during 1 sleep cycle.

The root cause would be narrow upper airway or blockage.

Children with un-diagnosed OSA are frequently mis-diagnosed as ADHD and they have been prescribed unnecessary medications.

What if OSA left untreated ?

Sleep quality will be compromised which will damage the age-appropriate growth of physical and mental health of the child.

Oxygen delivery to the child’s brain may get compromised.

Common symptoms :

• Restless sleep posture
• Open mouth posture during sleep with neck extended
• Snoring or heavy breathing
• Day time sleepiness
• Unable to concentrate or low IQ
• Hypertensive or hyperactive
• Mood swings
• Frequent head aches and ear pain early morning
• Teeth grinding during sleep
• Delayed growth spurts
• Prefers tummy posture for sleep
• Frequent night mares

How do we treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Complete history to rule out the root cause plays a major role for treatment protocol.

Weakness within your tongue, mouth and upper throat leads to snoring habit during night. In most cases, facial muscle weakness plays a critical role in worsening obstructive sleep apnea.

This can be corrected holistically with strengthening exercises for your facial muscles with Myofunctional therapy.