According to the results, the association between
body mass and upper airway obstruction severity was not significantly
influenced by age; however, the contribution of body mass to upper airway
obstruction amongst Caucasian children was much milder than typically found
amongst African-American children, and similar to Asian children. Another
important finding was that, although more frequently reported amongst younger
children, the incidence of central apneas during sleep was also associated
with increasing body weight.
“There has been a dramatic rise in the
incidence of childhood obesity during the last decade, which, in addition to a
range of other health concerns, may be placing greater numbers of children at
risk of OSAS,” said Kohler. “A careful inspection of the previous
literature suggests factors that may not have been considered in analyses,
such as age and ethnicity of a child, are important determinants of the
strength of the relationship between body mass and upper airway obstruction
during sleep. These findings suggest that, while the increasing rate of
obesity amongst children is alarming, it may be a more critical determinant of
upper airway obstruction amongst certain races only. In addition, central
respiratory events are important to consider amongst overweight children under
evaluation for suspected upper airway obstruction.”
In any case, obesity can still increase an
individual child’s risk for developing OSA, a sleep-related breathing
disorder that causes your body to stop breathing during sleep. OSA, which
can disturb your sleep numerous times on any given night, can result in poor
daytime function including excessive sleepiness, as well as an increased risk
of stroke, diabetes and heart disease. OSA is a serious sleep disorder
that can be harmful, or even fatal, if left untreated.
OSA occurs when the tissue in the back of the
throat collapses and blocks the airway. This keeps air from getting into
the lungs. OSA occurs in about two percent of young children. It can
develop in children at any age, but it is most common in pre-schoolers. OSA
often occurs between the ages of three and six years when the tonsils and
adenoids are large compared to the throat. OSA appears to occur at the
same rate in young boys and girls. OSA also is common in children who are
obese, and is more likely to occur in a child who has a family member with OSA.
It is recommended that school-aged children get
between 10-11 hours of nightly sleep and children in pre-school between 11-13
hours.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) offers
some tips to help your child sleep better:
- Follow a consistent bedtime routine. Set
aside 10 to 30 minutes to get your child ready to go to sleep each night.
- Establish a relaxing setting at bedtime.
- Interact with your child at bedtime. Don’t
let the TV, computer or video games take your place.
- Keep your children from TV programs, movies,
and video games that are not right for their age.
- Do not let your child fall asleep while being
held, rocked, fed a bottle, or while nursing.
- At bedtime, do not allow your child to have
foods or drinks that contain caffeine. This includes chocolate and sodas. Try
not to give him or her any medicine that has a stimulant at bedtime. This
includes cough medicines and decongestants.
It is important to make sure that your child gets
enough sleep and sleeps well. The value of sleep can be measured by your
child’s smiling face, happy nature and natural energy. A tired child may
have development or behavior problems. A child’s sleep problems can
also cause unnecessary stress for you and the other members of your family.
Parents who suspect that their child might be
suffering from OSA, or another sleep disorder, are encouraged to consult with
their child’s pediatrician or a sleep specialist.
JCSM is the official publication of the
AASM. It contains published papers related to the clinical practice of
sleep medicine, including original manuscripts such as clinical trials,
clinical reviews, clinical commentary and debate, medical economic/practice
perspectives, case series and novel/interesting case reports.
