Sleep Disordered Breathing

 

The most obvious symptom of Sleep Disordered Breathing is snoring that is present on most nights. The snoring can be interrupted by a complete pause of breathing, gasping for air, or snorting noises, and also cause you to wake up during sleep.  This is usually caused by improper breathing and tongue position.

Snoring in children

Sleep disorders in children are actually more common than we think. Studies have shown that poor sleep quality in children are associated with a host of problems, including academic, behavioral, developmental and social difficulties, and other health problems. Snoring children is not normal. It is a red flag that there may be a breathing problem.

Other signs and symptoms of SDB in children are:

  • mouth breathing

  • teeth grinding

  • bedwetting

  • sleepwalking

  • restless leg syndrome

  • hyperactivity during sleep (acting out dreams)

  • excessive sleepiness during the day

  • learning difficulties/ ADHD

    — Blocked airways and improper tongue posture can trigger excess adrenaline. Studies have shown that compromised airways and improper breathing is a contributing factor to ADHD in children

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea or OSA is a sleep breathing disorder that physically obstructs the upper airway and alters breathing. The tongue, soft palate, extra weight around the neck are examples of what can obstruct the airway.

Sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening medical disorder that causes the patient's body to stop breathing during sleep. As the muscles in the patient's throat relax, the tongue can fall back and block the airway during sleep. This reduces the amount of oxygen delivered to all of the organs including the heart and brain.

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Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS) is a sleep disordered breathing condition similar to obstructive sleep apnea. It involves resistance to breathing in the upper airway. People who suffer from UARS experience sleep disordered breathing because the muscles and tissues of the upper airway relax at night. When these muscles and tissues relax, the size of the airway is reduced. People who have UARS have a protective reflex to prevent a total blockage of the airway or sleep apnea.

UARS often goes undetected because it does not show up on regular sleep studies and sleep physicians and specialists often only evaluate for the more severe symptoms of sleep apnea. If left untreated, UARS can often evolve into sleep apnea.


How orofacial myofunctional therapy can help

 

My myofunctional therapy involves exercises that helps encourage nasal breathing and tongue to palate placement. Breathing correctly and re-patterning your muscle functions can reduce the number and severity of breathing stoppages an individual experiences during sleep. Patients who’ve gone through myofunctional experience better sleep and feeling well-rested in the morning.

Myofunctional Therapy alone does not treat sleep apnea, but it can help manage symptoms and could serve as an adjunct to other obstructive sleep apnea treatments.