Warning! The Dangers of Childhood Snoring

Generally, snoring is more common in adults. If a child snores habitually, it should raise significant concern.

Typically, healthy children do not snore. Snoring in children is a warning sign from the body, possibly indicating obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). During sleep, if the upper airway narrows for any reason, the resistance to airflow increases, causing vibrations in the bronchial mucosa, mucus, nasal passages, soft palate, and tongue base—resulting in snoring. In children, the narrowing of the upper airway is primarily due to enlarged adenoids and tonsils. Other causes include nasal inflammation (such as sinusitis or allergic rhinitis), micrognathia, macroglossia, and obesity.

Sleep apnea syndrome is defined as breathing pauses lasting more than 10 seconds during sleep, occurring more than 30 times per night. In children, symptoms of OSAS include not only nighttime snoring but also mouth breathing, frequent awakenings, restlessness, bedwetting, and daytime fatigue.

The primary harm of OSAS is its impact on a child's growth and development. Growth hormone is secreted during deep sleep, and the shallow sleep or repeated awakenings caused by sleep apnea can suppress this secretion. Additionally, long-term increased respiratory resistance may lead to chest deformities (such as pectus excavatum) and facial changes (adenoid facies). Chronic poor sleep and oxygen deprivation can also impair learning and contribute to behavioral issues, such as irritability. Some studies suggest a link between sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and OSAS, particularly when conditions like acute tonsillitis or pharyngitis—triggered by a cold—cause severe swelling of the tonsils and adenoids, leading to fatal airway obstruction.