Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Does your child have OSA?
What you may see at night:
- restless sleep
- frequent re-positioning
- not sleeping in his/her own bed
- neck over-extension
- difficulty waking in the morning
What you may see during the day:
- napping (beyond napping ages)
- irritability or crankiness
- daytime sleepiness
- overly long naps (napping ages)
- falling asleep in the car
What you may hear at night:
- snoring
- gasps
- abnormal pausing
- catch-up breathing
- choking sounds
Possible consequences:
- frequent headaches
- bed wetting
- poor concentration or focus
- poor behavior in school
Not all children will exhibit every one of these signs, but all are abnormal and should alert you to the possibility of obstructive sleep apnea. Some signs may not be present because the child is in a very light stage of sleep. Remember, the body will not allow you to suffocate, so a child with obstructed breathing will arouse themselves to a lighter stage of sleep, or even full awake.