Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea

A healthcare provider will diagnose childhood sleep apnea after learning more about your child’s symptoms and asking questions about their sleep like if they snore. They’ll also perform a physical examination and take a complete medical history. Your healthcare provider may recommend your child visit a sleep specialist.

A sleep specialist may conduct the following tests to determine if your child has sleep apnea:

Sleep history: A report of your child’s nightly sleeping patterns.
Upper airway evaluation: This includes a physical exam and sometimes other procedures like an X-ray or scope to evaluate for blockage in your child’s nose (nasal endoscopy).
Sleep study (polysomnography): This test monitors your child as they sleep. It measures your child’s brain activity, heart rate, amount of airflow through their mouth and nose, oxygen and carbon dioxide content in their blood, muscle activity, chest and abdominal wall movement, and sleep interruptions.

Symptoms

When to see a doctor

Request an appointment

Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.

The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Heart failure.
Some types of heart valve disease.

Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:

Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Don't smoke or use tobacco.
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce and manage stress.

By Freedmans Health Clinic Staff

Living with atrial fibrillation?

Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Heart Rhythm Conditions support group on Freedmans Health Clinic Connect, a patient community.