Rise in sleep disorders, snoring among children

There are anywhere between 30-40 pc of underdiagnosed/undiagnosed cases, point out experts

Hyderabad: Sleep disorders including snoring and other related health complications are usually associated with adults.

However, in the last few years, there has been a steady rise of such medical conditions even among children, especially adolescents, point out city-based pulmonologists and immunologists.

Based on anecdotal and observational data by senior doctors, there are anywhere between 30 and 40 per cent of underdiagnosed/undiagnosed cases of children silently suffering from sleeping and snoring disorders, not only in Hyderabad but also in other urban centres of Telangana.

The impact of not diagnosing or identifying such medical conditions among the children will be detrimental to their future mental outcomes, and intellectual ability and even could impact their physical activities, experts fear.

“Sleeping disorders like snoring are also a real burden on parents. Without knowing the cause of the illness, the family is subjected to physical and psychological stress, resulting in running, chasing, and screaming behind the kid. Parents must learn to identify and quickly seek a specialist’s help,” advises senior pulmonologist, allergist, and immunologist from Hyderabad Dr Vyakarnam Nageshwar.

Senior pulmonologist from Hyderabad Dr Vijay Kumar Chennamchetty urges parents and other caregivers never to underestimate or neglect a child with snoring issues or those suffering from frequent sleep disturbances at night.

“It’s important to understand that while the regions of sleep and learning in the brain grow as per age, it’s unfortunate that parents miss or even overlook changes in patterns of night and day sleep. Correct pathology of child’s health at the earliest should be evaluated and not to be delayed, which enables the child’s normal growth,” Dr Vijay Kumar said.

While in adults, snoring and sleep disorders result in cardiac abnormalities like sudden cardiac death syndrome, also causing cerebral stroke or paralysis, among children the symptoms are slightly different. Complications of sleep disorders and snoring in kids could result in long-term illness, if undiagnosed or untreated.