Even though some parents find snoring in children cute, it is in fact due to obstructed air movement during breathing. Snoring during sleep on regular basis may be a sign of serious medical conditions like Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
Normally, if there is enough space in the airway, no noise should be detected during sleep. In many children, enlarged tonsils and adenoids narrow the airways. This obstruction hinders the delivery of oxygen to the body and the brain during the crucial hours when the body is resting and repairing.
Until recently, snoring was believed to be a relatively benign condition in children. However the most recent research suggests that snoring, even without measurable apnea, is associated with cognitive, behavioral, and psycho social problems like ADHD.
Research concludes that children who snore have a higher chance of doing poorly on standardized testing
Children who have difficulty breathing during sleep, never get a good nights rest and can be irritable or groggy in the morning. Due to the lower oxygen level in the body, their brain wakes them up several times throughout the night so the body can take that precious breath for survival.
In presence of nasal congestion secondary to allergies, oftentimes children compensate by breathing through their mouth. Morning headaches and dry mouth in the morning are among early signs. Mouth breathing delivers less oxygen to the body compared to nasal breathing. That's why mouth breathers are always tired and sometimes have dark circles under their eyes.