You must know that a tired child can quickly turn into a "little monster". Caprices, fits of anger, crying ... He sulks, has raw nerves and does not know what he wants. So you understand that it is necessary to put it to bed and that it is enough of a good night's sleep so that your little adored angel reappears the next day and that everything returns of the order. Nevertheless, there are unfortunately children for whom it is not always so simple. Their sleep being disturbed, it affects their mood and behavior.
Sleep disorders can cause all kinds of symptoms: bad mood, behavior problems, eating disorders, health problems ... Often misdiagnosed, children usually live with these symptoms without the parents do the link. The frustration being felt by both parties, it does not help matters, as the parents are sinking deeper and deeper into confusion and misunderstanding.
The disarray of a mother faced with the misdiagnosis of her son
Melody Yazdani, recently shared her heartbreaking story to educate all parents to understand the devastating effects of sleep disorders on the child. Her son Kian, now 8 years old, has suffered for a long time from behavioral problems and health problems without understanding the causes.
His account details his difficult experience and deserves your attention because it will open your eyes to an often misunderstood reality and help you better understand the harmful consequences of an undiagnosed sleep disorder.
Yazdani says that Kian suddenly developed a multitude of disturbing symptoms as he entered primary school. His teachers noted that he was unable to stand still, alerted his mom to the fact that he was violent towards other children, and that he often had unexplained temper tantrums.
The following year, while the situation was getting worse, Yazdani decided to take his son to see some specialists to understand what was going on. Nevertheless, this only made things even more confusing for this mom. Kian's therapist recommended ADHD (Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder) screening when her respirologist and her allergist detonated the cause of the boy's persistent cough, each recommending different medications and antibiotics.
Sleep apnea, an unsuspected evil
It was actually Kian's dentist who raised the prodromal element, noticing that Kian had to cringe while sleeping. This diagnosis was undeniably a revelation for Yazdani.
Kian's mom wrote, "I came across an article that changed our lives. It focused on the link between ADHD, sleep-disordered breathing and mouth breathing. Every word in this article made me think of Kian and it led me into an ocean of research. "
After learning of the problem, Yazdani took his son to an ENT doctor who told him that many of his son's symptoms were actually related to an undiagnosed sleep disorder. The young woman later discovered that Kian was suffering from sleep apnea, and that her gaping breath (which you can see in the image she shared) was due to that.
Sleep apnea
"Breathing through your mouth is not normal and has long-term health consequences. When a child breathes through his mouth, his brain does not get enough oxygen. At night, this reduced oxygen saturation harms the quality of sleep and the ability of the brain to process information correctly. "
Dr. W.Thomas, an ENT at Jamestown Regional Medical Center, told Scary Mommy about the effects sleep apnea could have on the child, and one of the most common symptoms is that of breathing with the child. open mouth: "Sleep apnea occurs when the tonsils, adenoids, the soft palate and the tongue interfere. When this happens, the syndrome of resistance of the upper respiratory tract can be at the origin of this problem. "
Other symptoms of sleep apnea
- Snoring
- Wet the bed
- Tooth grinding
- A child who has trouble waking up
- A child who never sleeps properly, often the raised chin
- Appetite problems, whims when it comes to eating, difficulty swallowing
Dr. Coome also explains that, like Kian, many children with undiagnosed sleep apnea have symptoms of ADHD (hyperactivity, inattention, impulsivity ...). Thus, he recommends that parents whose children have been diagnosed with ADHD consult an ENT to rule out the possibility of sleep apnea syndrome.
The little Kian was treated and cured thanks to the removal of tonsils and adenoids. His behavior improved as he was no longer experiencing anger and his physical health.
