For parents who have sleeping kids who snore excessively during the night, the problem can be quite a big concern. In many cases, snoring is actually an indicator of more serious health problems, and snoring in children's sleep is a very big concern. For this reason, parents are advised to call the doctor rather than just grab a set of ear plugs.
There may well be some kind of heredity link to snoring, as the chances of sleeping kids having a problem with snoring increases by three times if one of their parents snores during the night. In addition, children that suffer from a condition called atopy, caused by allergies and/or asthma, are twice as likely to have snoring problems.
Tests of children's sleep have shown that those kids who snore have a greater than average chance of suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and similar health problems. In addition, these tests have shown that children of Afro-Caribbean origin are three times more likely to have a problem with snoring than kids from other ethnic groups.
Causes of snoring in children's sleep:
The concern with sleeping kids is that their snoring could be an indication that they are suffering from serious kind of sleeping disorder. Parents need to understand that sleeping disorders can indirectly lead to many complications, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and may also cause behavioral problems at home and in school.
However, a child's snoring may not be down to a sleep disorder. Other factors come into play. Studies have revealed that the shape of a child's head can cause snoring. Kids with longer, thinner heads are less likely to snore than those with rounder-shaped heads.
Obesity is also a problem. This can cause a build up of fatty tissue in the throat and neck area, which will cause airways to be partially blocked, leading to snoring at night time.
Other reasons for snoring in sleeping kids include enlarged tonsils or adenoids, nasal obstructions or even breathing too much second-hand smoke, if their parents smoke.
Finally, snoring in children's sleep could be down to sickness. Cold and flu may cause children to snore at night time, though the problem should disappear when they recover from the illness.
It's important to seek medical help for children who snore during the night, as it may cause disruption to their sleep schedule, which can lead to a poor performance at school. While the majority of snoring problems are relatively benign, it's important that parents get a qualified opinion and get to the root of the cause of their child's snoring.
Mike Moore is published on more than 300 websites. He writes about Health, Sleep Aids, and Relaxation. He is published on various website including http://www.cityofsleep.com