TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A health warning for parents about kids and snoring: It could be a sign of a more dangerous problem.
Doctors say the behavior raises a flag, and you should be watching for other behaviors.
Dr. Sydney Butts is an ear nose and throat doctor who sees a lot of young snorers and says all that snoring could be a sign of something serious, like sleep apnea. He says, it's not a problem restricted to adults and is one of the most common reasons why children need their tonsils removed.
Some other symptoms of sleep apnea can sometimes be confused with ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and can cause kids to be misdiagnosed.
"Many kids may get labeled as being hyperactive, and I think it's important to look at a variety of different causes that could be contributing to that," explained Dr. Butts. "It may not be that sleep is the only cause but if there's a worry about the child's sleep it should definitely be investigated."
Aside from snoring, other symptoms of sleep apnea in children include hyper-activity, trouble focusing in school, depression or anger, and even bed wetting.
