RW - foRWard Health & Wellbeing eMag - June 25 - Flipbook - Page 46
How is sleep
apnoea treated?
If enlarged tonsils or adenoids
are the issue, surgery to
remove them is o昀琀en the 昀椀rst
step—and in many cases, this
solves the problem.
Other treatments
may include:
• Nasal steroid sprays (used
when tonsils are small but
adenoids are swollen)
• CPAP (Con琀椀nuous Posi琀椀ve
Airway Pressure) – a
machine that gently blows
air into the airway through
a mask worn at night. It
helps keep the airway open
and works immediately
once used.
• Weight loss programs,
if excess weight is
contribu琀椀ng to the
condi琀椀on
With the right support,
most children adjust well to
treatment and experience
signi昀椀cant improvements in
sleep and behaviour.
Can medication help?
There’s no magic pill for
sleep apnoea, though some
children may bene昀椀t from
nasal sprays, par琀椀cularly if
allergies are involved. These
might include steroid sprays or
a combina琀椀on of steroid and
an琀椀histamine sprays. Other
remedies haven’t been proven
to work.
What about good sleep habits?
No ma琀琀er the treatment, healthy sleep rou琀椀nes are key:
• Keep a consistent bed琀椀me and wake-up 琀椀me
• Create a calm wind-down rou琀椀ne before bed
• Avoid s琀椀mula琀椀ng ac琀椀vi琀椀es like screen 琀椀me in the
hour before sleep
• Keep the bedroom dark and quiet
• Avoid giving your child ca昀昀einated drinks in the
a昀琀ernoon or evening (like cola or hot chocolate)
Are there other sleep problems children
can experience?
Yes. Besides snoring and sleep apnoea, children can
also deal with:
• Sleepwalking and night terrors (known as
parasomnias)
• Medical condi琀椀ons like epilepsy or asthma that can
disrupt sleep
These issues can be just as upse琀�ng for families, so it’s
important to raise any concerns with your doctor.
Should you seek help?
If your child snores regularly or shows signs of sleep
apnoea, don’t ignore it. Book a visit with your GP to
discuss your concerns. A referral to a sleep specialist
may be the next step in helping your child, and the rest
of the family, get the rest they need.
