The term Apnea is a Greek word that means "without breathe", in sleep apnea this is exactly what occurs during rest. Finding out just what is sleep apnea can help a patient learn about the disorder and if this may be something that they have.

There are two types of sleep apnea-one is obstructive sleep apnea and the other is central sleep apnea. The first, obstructive sleep apnea is the most common and occurs when the muscles in the throat relax. This results in the airway tightening and causes the breathing to stop. The brain then sends signals to wake you up and begin the breathing process again. Many people with this type of sleep apnea are not even aware that their sleep is being interrupted at night.

The other, central sleep apnea is less common and happens because the brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. This again causes the person to wake up, but in this case, the person may remember waking up. In addition, some people have a combination of the two called mixed sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea can cause additional complications as every time a person stops breathing there is a decrease in the oxygen to the brain and body. This can result in problems within the cardiovascular system.

When discovering what is sleep apnea it is interesting to point out, that this occurs in more men than women and is often a problem as you age.

Sleep apnea in children is very common though much more difficult to recognize or diagnose. In adults there are some given traits that point towards the possibility that they could be patients of this affliction which are harder to find in children. Nonetheless, careful observation at home and thorough medical evaluation could result in the correct diagnosis.

It Is Not Easy To Diagnose Sleep Apnea In Children

Some of the signs that help with the diagnosis of sleep apnea in children are, (1) loud snoring,

(2) breathing through open mouth on a regular basis when asleep,

(3) visibly enlarged adenoids and tonsils,

(4) constant sleepiness during the day time,

(5) problematic behavior such as sudden aggressiveness, inattentiveness, restlessness, etc.

Is your child suffering from any of the above symptoms? If yes, do not hesitate to immediately take the child to an ENT specialist for careful evaluation. In case of doubt, the doctor might ask you to carry out a test called polysomnography which would be very helpful in zeroing on the correct diagnosis.

Sleep apnea in children is very dangerous; in fact it can be fatal. Hence, in case you have the slightest doubt that your child is suffering from such a problem, keep the child under very close observation until you could refer him or her to a good doctor.

The Treatment For The Sleep Apnea In Children

Is your child overweight? This could be one of the main factors that contribute to the sleep apnea condition. Ensure that you take measures to have the child's weight reduced. The sleep apnea in children could also be triggered by allergies – so keep a close watch on what it could be that provokes allergies in the child. If you identify the factor, ensure that it is removed from the vicinity of the child.

Another factor that leads to this problem in children is the highly enlarged adenoids and tonsils. If these are found to perpetuate the condition, it would be advisable to have these surgically removed. These medical interventions are termed as tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy or as commonly known T&A.

The good news here is that though it is a little difficult to diagnose immediately the sleep apnea condition with children, once it diagnosed the treatment is swift and sure. The child would be back to normal in a matter of days provided there are no complications or undue infections. Overall it is easier to cure this problem from children than adults.