Snoring in Children

I only had snoring problems with my husband until i had my youngest child. When he was a baby, i never heard him snore but when he turned 18 months old, that's when his snoring started. It was never a big deal for me before until the snoring became persistent. I was kinda alarmed and researched for this condition and so i learned that snoring in kids is not really cute and is NOT NORMAL.

Snoring happens when the air that enters the nose was blocked by several structures in the throat. The sound is the result of the rubbing structures in the mouth and throat as the air passes. There are some causes of snoring like colds, allergies, obesity and obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the leading cause of snoring in children. It is due to the enlarged tonsils and adenoids which blocks the passage of the air and cause the snoring sound. The child with OSA have disruptions of sleep with pauses which lasts for 10 or more seconds and happens several times in their sleep. The child usually wakes up feeling grumpy, irritated, and tired. The child may also have growth and behavioral problems, and may have poor performance in school. Some children with OSA may be misdiagnosed with ADHD because of hyperactivity and restlessness as a result of disrupted sleep.

How to manage snoring?


Proper sleep position. Proper placement of the child's head may lessen the snoring. Elevating the child's head while sleeping could help clearing air passages.

Alleviate the Allergy. If allergy is the problem then remove all the things which trigger the child's allergy (cats, dogs, stuffed toys, flowers, dust). Also, a PRESCRIBED medication for allergy from the pediatrician may control the allergy.

Lose Weight. An obese child should start to lose weight slowly by having a proper diet and exercise.

Treatment for OSA. If the problem is an enlarged tonsils and adenoids, you should start discussing with your doctor for the best treatment for OSA. The usual treatment for OSA is Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy (surgical removal of tonsils and adenoids)

One of these days, We will visit my children's pediatrician to have him examined for the cause of his snoring and seek treatment before the condition becomes worse and may affect his growth and development.

CREDITS: about, Babyzone, Whattoexpect