Parent's Information


What can you do?


Look at your child.  Listen to your child.


Posture:  
Have your child stand so you can see their profile.  Is their head in front of their shoulders?  "Head forward" posture can be a sign that your child is attempting to open his/her airway to breath better.


Face: 
Are your child's lips chapped?  Mouth breathers usually have chapped lips.  If your child is a mouth breather, the tongue is in the floor of the mouth instead of the roof of the mouth.  Watch your child while sleeping.  Look at his/her lips and listen to the breathing.  If he/she is snoring, takes short pauses while breathing, or has his/her lips apart, discuss these findings with your pediatrician.
 

Teeth:
Are your child's teeth crowded?  The lips, cheeks and tongue are very strong muscles.  The lips and cheeks push in while the tongue pushes out.  These muscles must be in balance in order for the teeth to erupt into the correct position.  If the tongue is not in the proper position in the roof of the mouth, proper balance is impossible.


Swallow:
Give your child a glass of water and watch him/her swallow.  During a correct swallow, the tongue is in the roof of the mouth.  If your child squirts his/her tongue forward and you can see it, or if there is an unusual amount of head, neck, and facial muscle movement during the swallow, talk to your pediatrician or dentist.
 

If you suspect your child has a sleep disorder, talk to your pediatrician.  A sleep study is the gold standard for diagnosing sleep disordered breathing/sleep apnea.  If your pediatrician does not order a sleep study, get a second opinion.


For more detailed information visit www.kidsapnea.com.