Question:
I have OSA and have been on CPAP for over a year now. My son is 12 and in
the past year he has added at least
a full 12 inches of height. He has also started snoring rather loudly many
nights, and I can tell from his behaviour that
he isn't getting a good sleep. He doesn't fall asleep durring the day or
wake up with headaches (I didn't either) he is thin and fit (I am not).
Is this something he might grow out of? Should he go for a sleep study now,
or is there another option we should look at, I don't want him to become
dependant on CPAP if it's something he will grow out of.
Answer:
Yes. Why should he or his family struggle through his teen years without
knowing for sure or following treament if he has apnea?
If he has apnea - and you won't know without a sleep test - and he goes
without treatment then he may possibly suffer from any or all of:
- Attention Defieciet Disorder
- emotional insecurities (like being a teenager isn't bad enough!)
- memory problems affecting his schooling
- increased anxiety (like being a teenager isn't bad enough!)
- difficulties socializing (like being a teenager isn't bad enough!)
etc etc
The other advantage to being tested now: at 12 he has to listen to you. At
16+ you may be lucky if he acknowledges your existence. If he has apnea,
his emotional state won'y be the best by the time he is older.
Some children respond well to adenoids and tonsils being removed, dental
appliances etc Although there are indications that this is not a lifetime
fix it can get them through the important teen years.
Check here for some related info
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/apnea.html
http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/childapnea.html
http://childrentoday.com/resources/articles/childrensnoring.htm
http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/symptoms/snoring.html
...... talk to your MD and have him checked out. Enlarged tonsils,
etc can cause snoring, especially in kids or it could be sleep apnea.
Please don't ignore it.
I was a teen aged snorer ... in fact I was a pre-teen snorer. They tried me on
decongestants that gave me migraines. The ent said that when I was older I
should have an operation for my deviated septum. So everyone waited. Now I'm
47 and have severe sleep apnea. I've been through panic attacks, anxiety, poor
performance at work, poor sleep and snoring that by itself could have wrecked my
marriage if our craziness hadn't gotten there first.
Please have your son seen by a sleep specialist. Help him to understand that
his quality of life could improve hugely if he finds that he has apnea and
treats it! In fact, by the time he's in his twenties, they may have discovered
something amazing that will help and meanwhile, if he needs and treats
successfully with cpap, he will be able to weather the problems created by apnea
and not suffer as so many of us have by lack of knowledge in our healthcare
providers.
I can understand that your son might be likely to balk at the thought of using
the machine but finding out could be the beginning of him feeling just great,
especially at his age. The thing that would have helped me before an entire
hall full of girls entered my dorm room one night while I was snoring on the top
bunk, had it been available, was cpap ... (it didn't exist then), because nobody
would have heard me snoring and I would never have been embarassed that way.
