Snoring in toddlers is associated with future problems in the psyche
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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American pediatricians advise parents to listen carefully to how their children sleep. According to a study reported by the journal Pediatrics, loud and prolonged snoring in toddlers is associated with future problems in the emotional health of the child and in his behavior.
As the director of neuropsychology programs at the Cincinnati Children's Medical Hospital, Dr. Den Bibe, explains, such violations in children as hyperactivity, depression and inattention. The fact that there is a certain relationship between them and snoring, pediatricians found out during the observation of 249 small patients, as well as a survey of their mothers. Women told specialists about all the peculiarities of children's behavior.
Comparing all the data obtained, the scientists found that constant snoring in children aged two and three years can be a signal of future behavioral problems. If such children loudly snore at least twice a week, they risk much more than children who did not suffer snoring or sometimes snore only at the age of two or three, but not two years in a row.
According to American pediatricians, a loud constant snoring today is found on average for every tenth child. Researchers associate it with the socioeconomic factor (in poor families, children suffer from snoring more often), as well as the absence or short period of breastfeeding. "Cartoons represent snoring sweet or funny," says Dr. Bibe. But a loud snoring that lasts for months is abnormal, in addition, anything that puts a child at risk for behavior problems is no longer cute or fun. I strongly advise parents to inform your pediatrician of loud snoring, especially if this happens often and for a long time. "
It is important to know:
Snoring in children is associated with the fact that during a person's sleep, the soft palate and tongue involuntarily relax, and the soft tissues of the larynx become vibrated. Snoring is often accompanied by apnea, and people with problems with snoring have a slightly increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Also, snoring is the cause of narrowing of the palatine and pharynx, resulting in a lack of oxygen. Snoring has a significant lack of gray matter, especially in those areas of the brain that are responsible for abstract thinking and solving various problems.