Behaviour problems in kids ''linked to apnoea''
27/08/2008
Doctors have recently revealed that behavioural problems in children such as attention deficit disorder (ADD) may be linked to sleep apnoea.
A report by medical staff at Our Children''s House at Baylor in Dallas, Texas, found that sleep deprivation due to the condition could be the cause of changes in a child''s conduct.
Ear, nose and throat specialists (ENT) at the facility detected the role that enlarged tonsils play in sleep quality, with some often obstructing air flow and causing breathing pauses while the child is in bed.
Stephen Landers, part of the ENT team at the institution, said that children with ADD and other associated behavioural problems must be observed during sleep to find out whether or not their child has sleep apnoea.
"If kids aren''t sleeping at night it can affect their school work and mental development.
"If children are allowed to sleep properly a lot of these behavioural issues are improved."
Last week, Advanced Practice Clinicians revealed that those feeling tired all the time may suffer from sleep apnoea as it obstructs unbroken sleeping patterns.
