How can parents rule out altogether that their child may have sleep apnea?
An overnight sleep study is the only definitive test to determine if a child has obstructive sleep apnea. Observation by a parent or audio or video taping can help, but the sleep study is the only way to know for sure. Can sleep apnea occur in babies? What are the most common ages? Obstructive sleep apnea is rare in healthy babies without other medical conditions such as Down syndrome or other genetic disorders that lead to deformities of the face and throat. The highest rates of obstructive sleep apnea occur in pre-school aged children, usually between the ages of 2 to 5 years. If snoring occurs when the child is stuffed up, is there anything parents can do to clear the passage so the child can sleep peacefully through the night? If the snoring is disrupting the child’s sleep, trying to clear out the nasal passages can help. If the child has allergies, then antihistamines and topical nasal sprays can help reduce the swelling in the nasal passages and allow the child to breathe easier.
