Why Is My Child Snoring? Sleep Apnea Signs in Kids

What's normal

• Babies make lots of noisy breathing sounds: snuffles, grunts and squeaks, especially with a cold.
• Occasional snoring during a cold or allergy flare is common at any age.
• Snoring most nights (3 or more nights a week) when your child is well is worth mentioning. It isn't harmful in itself, but it can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea.

What sleep apnea is

• In obstructive sleep apnea, the airway partly or fully closes during sleep, over and over. Breathing pauses, oxygen dips and sleep gets broken up.
• It's most common between about ages 2 and 6, when tonsils and adenoids are largest compared to the airway. Allergies, extra weight, prematurity and some medical conditions raise the risk.

Signs at night

• Loud, regular snoring, snorting or gasping.
• Pauses in breathing, often followed by a gasp or a big body movement.
• Mouth breathing, very restless sleep, sweating, and sleeping with the neck stretched back or sitting up.
• New or returning bedwetting after being dry.

Signs during the day

• In kids, poor sleep often looks like hyperactivity, trouble paying attention, irritability or big emotions, rather than sleepiness.
• Morning headaches, hard to wake, mouth breathing all day, or a nasal-sounding voice.
• Slow growth in some children.

What you can do

• Record 1 to 2 minutes of video or audio of your child's breathing during deep sleep, ideally later in the night. It's very helpful at the appointment.
• Treat allergies and keep the bedroom smoke-free.
• Keep bedtime routines steady; see the toddler sleep and preschool sleep guides.

How it's diagnosed and treated

• The gold-standard test is an overnight sleep study in a lab, which is painless and lets a parent stay. Pediatricians may also refer to an ear, nose and throat specialist.
• Removing tonsils and adenoids is the most common first treatment when they're enlarged, and it helps most children a lot.
• Mild cases may be treated with nasal steroid sprays or allergy treatment and watched.
• Some children use a CPAP mask at night, which delivers gentle air pressure.
• Untreated sleep apnea can affect behavior, learning and growth, so it's worth sorting out.

When to check in

• Mention snoring 3 or more nights a week at the next checkup, even if your child seems fine.
• Ask sooner if you notice breathing pauses, gasping or big daytime behavior changes.
• If your child stops breathing and doesn't restart, or turns blue, call 911.