Sleep Apnea in a toddler?

[JennyG]

Okay, so someone please tell me I am being a paranoid mom!

Our son has has nasal congestion for a good solid week now. His immune system is very weak and gets sick often. He also has genetic abnormalities that cause him to have developmental delays. He also has a heart condition called, cardio myopathy. Although... I don't think any of that is related to our current issue.

Just a couple of days ago I noticed he will stop breathing while asleep... weather it be at night or naps. He stops for a couple of seconds then gasps for air, breaths normal for one or two times then stops again. This goes on and on for a while before he goes back to breathing normal. My husband says this may be caused by the nasal congestion. Enzo is both a nose and mouth breather.

Am I freaking out for no reason... or should I be concerned? Either way, I'll be calling his dr first thing Monday morning. But... that's a whole 2 days from now, so I need some reassurance please!!

Thanks!
Jenny

 

[Eeyore5]

You are not being paranoid. Insist on a referral to a sleep specialist for children. Your local children's hospital may have one. There are two types of apnea: obstructive and central. Obstructive is the one most people know about. It is where something blocks the airway when a person sleeps. In children this can be a floppy airway, large tonsils, nasal structure issues, and other things. Central is caused by the brain forgetting to send the signal to breath in deep sleep. You can have one or both. A sleep study is the best way to find out what is going on.

 

[brat]

Call his Dr. today. It may just be part of the congestion but talking with his Dr who knows him will give you a better answer than I can give you.With his medical trust your Momy radar and call you are not Pareniod you are Mom.

As a Mom of a SN kid you know he is at risk faster than normal, and with a normal kid I would still call on anything to do with breathing.

 

[Eeyore5]

http://www.texaschildrens.org/carecenters/Neuro/Neurology/Sleep_Center.aspx

Are you close to Texas Children's? They have a sleep center.

 

[JennyG]

You are not being paranoid. Insist on a referral to a sleep specialist for children. Your local children's hospital may have one. There are two types of apnea: obstructive and central. Obstructive is the one most people know about. It is where something blocks the airway when a person sleeps. In children this can be a floppy airway, large tonsils, nasal structure issues, and other things. Central is caused by the brain forgetting to send the signal to breath in deep sleep. You can have one or both. A sleep study is the best way to find out what is going on.

DH thinks I'm nuts. But it is very disturbing to listen to him go through that!
Thanks for the explanation of the different types of apnea. When he was born he did have trachial malasia (sp?). The breathing behavior does seem to be related to his snotty nose. His dr will more then likely suggest the sleep specialist, but I will request it. Thanks again!

Call his Dr. today. It may just be part of the congestion but talking with his Dr who knows him will give you a better answer than I can give you.With his medical trust your Momy radar and call you are not Pareniod you are Mom.

As a Mom of a SN kid you know he is at risk faster than normal, and with a normal kid I would still call on anything to do with breathing.

Thank you! I needed that...

http://www.texaschildrens.org/carecenters/Neuro/Neurology/Sleep_Center.aspx

Are you close to Texas Children's? They have a sleep center.

Yes! Actually that's were his pediatrician is located. Good... if she thinks he needs the sleep study, we can go there. Thanks!!

 

[MommyJack]

If he's congested, his tonsils may be enlarged which would cause an obstruction. Is he snoring too? DD has enlarged tonsils and she does the same thing.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I also had a toddler with similar issues (He's now almost 12 year old with all issues resolved ). I do think this warrants a call to his specialist and a visit to a sleep center. I don't think it's a crisis.

My understanding from when my son was little is that for this kind of apnea, the risk is that sleep will be interrupted, because they are waking up a little whenever they stop breathing, and you'll have a child who is chronically, tired and cranky and may have trouble learning, or behaving, or paying attention. If he was driving or operating heavy machinery, there would also be bigger risks, but I'm guessing he isn't based on his age. Obviously those aren't good things, and you want them fixed, but for a few days while you're waiting for a sleep specialist they aren't a crisis.

The kind of apnea that leads to kids needing monitors and potentially to kids not waking up at all is entirely different thing, and would have been present from birth. It doesn't happen because of a cold or congestion, or inflammation.

So, yes, get him to a specialist, but waiting until the doctor's office opens on Monday to schedule shouldn't be a problem.

Good luck!

 

[JennyG]

If he's congested, his tonsils may be enlarged which would cause an obstruction. Is he snoring too? DD has enlarged tonsils and she does the same thing.

Yes, snors very loud... like an OLD man! Good point... will remember to tell the dr about his snoring. Thanks!

I also had a toddler with similar issues (He's now almost 12 year old with all issues resolved ).
You'll have a child who is chronically, tired and cranky and may have trouble learning, or behaving, or paying attention.

Well, that makes me feel a lot better. Even DH was agreeable to your post.
Congrats on your son getting better!!
What you said about how it effects the kids is what worries me. Our son already has developmental delays and short attention span. He needs all the extra energy he can get to keep his balance.
Anyway... thanks for the reply. I will post again after talking to the dr on Monday.

 

[Singledad]

I had trouble once (not that you will) with a doctor not wanting to refer for a sleep study because as far as she was concerned my sleep issues were due to hypothyroidism alone. I ended up having my ex use a tape recorder to record how I sounded at night. I took that in to my next appt, and after hearing about 5 min of the tape, she referred me. I took that referral but also found a different doctor.

So, you might want to take a tape recorder and try to catch one of these pauses on tape.


(I do have an auto-pap now, so yay for not being exhausted!)

 

[JennyG]

I had trouble once (not that you will) with a doctor not wanting to refer for a sleep study because as far as she was concerned my sleep issues were due to hypothyroidism alone. I ended up having my ex use a tape recorder to record how I sounded at night. I took that in to my next appt, and after hearing about 5 min of the tape, she referred me. I took that referral but also found a different doctor.

So, you might want to take a tape recorder and try to catch one of these pauses on tape.


(I do have an auto-pap now, so yay for not being exhausted!)

Congrats on your auto-pap!!

Thanks for the suggestion. I was wondering how to fully explain what happens when he sleeps. We could probably record him with our phone.
It sucks your dr didn't fully believe you. Hopefully you found a better dr after the fact!!

 

[brat]

I vid tape things with my kids for their Drs, it helps with things that I see at home that might not also show up at the Drs appointment.

 

[JennyG]

Isn't that the truth!! Almost every time I think ds is sick enough to visit the dr... once we get there he's bouncing off the walls.