Mouth Breathing. Some evidence suggests that a tendency to breathe through the mouth (rather than the nose) during childhood can actually produce structural changes in the face (longer face, narrow jaw, receding chin). Such facial characteristics may eventually put people at risk for sleep apnea.
Causes of Sleep Apnea in Small Children
Sleep apnea occurs in about 2% of children and can occur even in very young children. The most likely causes are the following:
- Facial or skull abnormalities in infants.
- Overgrown tonsils, adenoids, or both in small children. (Removal of tonsils or adenoids can free the airways and solve the problem.)
- Premature infants also commonly have a form of apnea that may be related to lung or nervous system problems.
Previous Section
