Why does a child snore in his sleep. The child snores, but there is no snot: how to get rid of, surgical treatment of children's snoring. Causes of night snoring

An unpleasant event in the life of every mother is the moment when she realizes that the child is snoring. Snoring in itself is already unpleasant phenomenon, and in a child it is also a sign that indicates a violation of health. Statistics on children's snoring vary. Some researchers claim that only 5% of children from birth to 7 years old are prone to snoring, while others expand the scope to 14%. Be that as it may, the cause of disturbed night breathing at a young age is to be clarified with the help of doctors.

Doctors identify 5 reasons that answer the question of parents why a child snores in his sleep.

Chronic tonsillitis

With tonsillitis, the adenoids enlarge. It occurs due to the lymphoid tissue, which, growing, creates an obstacle in the way of the air flow. When a person sleeps, the muscles of the pharynx naturally relax and at the same time create a narrowing of the lumen - snoring occurs. Enlarged adenoids remain for some time after suffering a cold, so the child's snoring after an illness is natural. In some cases, respiratory arrest occurs.

Overweight

The reason for snoring is the same as with tonsillitis - narrowing of the pharyngeal passage. In this case, it occurs due to adipose tissue, which is deposited in accessible places. child's body, including in soft tissues throats.

The structure of the skull

The structure of the skull, in which the baby has developed a small jaw, retracted deep into the face, is accompanied by the development of snoring. This structure of the face and head is genetic or acquired over time. It becomes acquired if the baby began to breathe through the mouth from birth.

Snoring indicates impaired nasal breathing, measures to correct which are either not taken on time or have not yielded results.

In the future, in children with this feature, there is a narrowing of the pharyngeal airways, which acquires chronic course. This results in a change in the contours of the face the worst side: the nose is bent, the cheekbones are drawn out.

Colds or sore throats

With a cold, a person has a stuffy nose, breathing through the nasopharynx is impossible due to the narrowing of the inflamed walls. Such snoring is not dangerous and occurs sporadically. If the baby does not have a stuffy nose and no snot, then. Provided that the doctor immediately began to treat the disease, complications with breathing are not expected in the future.

Allergy

The principle of action of the allergen on a child and on an adult is the same. The nasopharynx swells, the appearance of snot is noted, the nose becomes stuffy. Breathing is only possible through the mouth. If during an allergic attack in a dream the baby began to make whistling sounds, then the first thing to do is to give him an antihistamine medicine.

Is snoring dangerous?

Snoring provokes respiratory arrest, the time of which is 1-3 minutes. At this moment, the baby's body experiences oxygen starvation, which leads to sharp decline heart rate.The baby wakes up and does sharp breath- at this moment, a snoring sound is heard. In one sleep session of a child at the age of 1 month, up to 400 stops of breathing and the same number of awakenings are possible: this leads to the fact that the brain little man constantly awake.

Snoring, not caused by colds and constantly repeated, leads to a decrease in immunity and an increase in the number of disease states. The child's performance decreases, he gets tired and does not perceive information as he should. At the same time, he constantly has no mood, and interest in his favorite activities disappears.

When a child snores in his sleep, he does not develop growth hormone. This results in growth retardation.

How to treat snoring after a cold

As mentioned above, snoring occurs during or after a cold or SARS. To determine the cause, parents need to carefully look at the snoring baby. If he sleeps with open mouth, and at the same time he began to make whistling sounds, then the reason lies in the enlarged adenoids.

In this case, an appeal to an otolaryngologist is required. If the disease is not started, the doctor will prescribe local treatment using medicines. Otherwise shown surgical intervention. The second is typical for a strongly overgrown tissue that narrows and deforms the nasopharyngeal canal.

It is impossible to self-diagnose in young children. A child at 1 month or a year old does not yet speak, because the symptoms of tonsillitis - perspiration in the mouth or dryness, the parents cannot notice. If the child does not have a runny nose and is not stuffed up, and snoring continues to bother, an appeal to a pediatrician is required.

The treatment of this disease lasts more than one year: at this time, the fight against pathogenic microflora in the nasopharynx.

The therapy is complex and consists in washing the nasopharynx with antibiotics and the use of drugs aimed at increasing immunity. Treatment of tonsillitis occurs at least twice a year. When doctors do not achieve results in treatment, then inflamed palatine tonsils are removed surgically.

If a child has been ill with ARVI or a cold, and after that you can visually distinguish the remains of snot in his nose, then he snores with his mouth or makes sniffling sounds with his nose. AT this case rinsing the nose warm water or instill baby drops. If the condition of the common cold persists after illness a short time there is no point in going to the doctor.

How to conduct an examination of the nasopharynx in a child

Before contacting a doctor, parents should independently examine the child's nasopharynx. If the child is a year old or less, then it is worth examining the mirrors, since it is impossible to see inflammation through the nose. To do this, the baby is fixed, small mirrors are brought close to the mouth. This must be done carefully so as not to injure the baby.

One mirror is directed by the reflecting side into the oral cavity, three times, parallel to it, towards the parents. If the examination is carried out correctly, then the child reacts positively to this action. The same method is used if the children are older.

If a child began to exhale noisily in a dream, and there are no mirrors for examination, then home diagnostics can be done in another way. For this baby, they wake up and bury children's nasal products with vasoconstrictor effect. If there is no snoring with this method of testing, then the causes of this ailment are in a cold. If the noise from the nose or mouth is preserved, we can safely say that the cause of snoring is enlarged adenoids. do not respond to drugs.

Treatment of snoring not associated with a cold

If the child snores at night, and at the same time he is healthy, then the reason lies in the extra weight of the baby. Fat cells cover the nasopharyngeal cavity and already in childhood do not let the baby live in peace. In this case, you do not need to do complex manipulations: right decision consultation with a pediatrician and nutritionist. After that, the child is translated correctly and healthy food and eats according to the menu recommended by nutritionists. At the same time, parents control the child's diet until he reaches a conscious age and try to prevent obesity.

With an incorrect structure of the skull, treatment does not help. Surgery is indicated to correct the nasal septum. If parents are not willing to imminent holding operation, it is worth observing the situation for a month or two and trying to drug treatment. The success of such an event is not guaranteed.

If the causes of snoring in a child are not determined: the child does not have a stuffy nose, there are no signs of a curvature of the cartilage in the nose and other manifestations, then the child does not need to be treated on his own. Likely Causes here are hidden in the space surrounding the baby.

The standard rules, the observance of which will help to eliminate children's snoring, are proposed below:

Parents are required to do wet cleaning in the room where the child sleeps 1-2 times a week and once a month for general. Before going to bed, the room is ventilated. Purchasing a humidifier will be an added bonus;
To eliminate the inflection of the neck, a pillow is purchased 3-6 cm high, of medium hardness. This will help the baby not snore;
To prevent a runny nose, once a month, the nose is washed with a weak saline solution.

Snoring for a child is not normal phenomenon. If missing colds, and the child began to snore, it is worth contacting pediatric otolaryngologist to identify the cause of the emitted sounds and prescribe treatment.

Not only adults are affected, but also children. Parents are very worried when their child for a long time snores without snot. Having noticed such a problem, it is urgent to take measures so that the disease harms the health of the child.

Pathological causes of snoring without snot

Snoring without snot occurs when breathing is disturbed due to a mechanical obstruction that is formed due to pathological causes.

Malocclusion. A child snores if his lower jaw moves backward during sleep. Displacement contributes horizontal position body. In this case, the root of the tongue is located very close to the uvula, narrowing the lumen and preventing normal air circulation. Air flow becomes more powerful, causing the vibration of the uvula and snoring.

Diseases of the ear, throat, nose. Due to the inflammatory processes of the ENT organs, puffiness appears, which narrows the passage for air. enlarged tonsils, pharyngeal tonsils also cause children's snoring. Nevertheless, first of all, doctors pay attention to the condition of the adenoids (lymph nodes on the back of the nasopharynx, which fight harmful microorganisms).

Enlarged adenoids are the most common cause of nighttime snoring, when all the muscles are relaxed, these formations can come into contact with each other and create air vibration.

Epilepsy. With convulsive contraction of the muscles of one side of the face, tongue, pharynx, snoring occurs, resembling a "gurgling" when gargling. The seizure lasts up to 3 minutes, so parents notice it very rarely at night. With age, the disease usually disappears. The control of specialists requires rolandic epilepsy.

Overweight. Obesity also extends to the nasopharynx, fat narrows the respiratory passages, causing vibrations and snoring.

In addition to these pathologies, the cause of snoring can be:

polyps, tumors in the nasopharynx, nasal passages;
bronchial asthma;
sagging tissues of the soft palate;

Physiological causes of snoring without snot

Adverse external conditions, not associated with diseases, can also be the cause of children's snoring:

Dusty and/or dry air. This unfavorable factor promotes . They narrow the gap for the passage of air, it becomes difficult for the child to breathe in a dream.

Wrong body position. Even a high pillow can cause snoring without snot, because wrong position body leads to a violation of the passage of air masses.

Fatigue. This factor can cause snoring not only in children, but also in adults.

congenital features. In some babies, narrow nasal passages are an anatomical phenomenon that is not associated with a specific disease. During the day, such children breathe normally even during active games, at night breathing is disturbed.

Medical assistance in these cases is not needed, it is only necessary to eliminate the negative factors.

Changing sleep conditions for snoring therapy

If the child snores at night, and there are no snot or other complaints, it is worth taking such simple, but in many cases effective measures:

changing the pillow to a lower one;
change in the position of the child's body in a dream (turn on its side);
room ventilation;
maintenance of indoor air humidity ( optimal indicator – 65%).

It is important! If the child snores even after taking measures to eliminate negative conditions, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Respiratory disorders can lead to oxygen starvation (hypoxia), and it delays mental and physical development.

Treatment of snoring associated with ENT diseases

Effective therapy of diseases of the ear, throat and nose is possible only after installation by a specialist accurate diagnosis. Treatment may include the following procedures:

inhalation procedures (the choice of remedy depends on the diagnosis);
the use of vasoconstrictor drugs;
taking antibacterial agents;
rinsing the nose with antibacterial drugs;
reception medicines From cough.

When the formations (polyps, adenoids) are too large, they are removed by surgery.

Other methods of treating apnea in a child

If the child does not have ear, nose and throat diseases, and snoring continues even after the elimination of possible negative factors, treatment will be aimed at solving other problems.

Removal of dry crusts. If snoring is associated with the formation of dry crusts in the child's nasal cavity, it is necessary to remove them safely. For this, solutions are used oil based and saline solution. Removal is carried out in several stages:

nose blowing;
lubrication of the walls of the nasal cavity with oil (peach, eucalyptus or pine).

Help with an overbite. When a child snores due to malocclusion, you need to contact the dentist, he will correct it by placing plates or braces. The teeth will gradually align, and the child will breathe much easier.

Therapy for epilepsy. Only a neurologist can determine whether snoring is the cause of epilepsy, he also prescribes a treatment regimen. Treatment for epilepsy may include:

reception anticonvulsants("Lamotrigine", "Carbamazepine");
psychotherapy;
immunotherapy with the use of hormones (only in some cases);
limitations of psycho-emotional overstrain;
limitation computer games, watching TV;
minimizing exposure to the sun.

Weight management as a treatment for snoring

Being overweight is rarely the cause of children's snoring, but parents should pay attention to this factor as well. Overweight appear due to endocrine ailments, low motor activity or metabolic disorders.

As a rule, weight is normalized subject to the following rules:

exclusion from the diet of light carbohydrates (pastries, sweets), semi-finished products, fatty foods;
control over the amount of food consumed and the time of eating;
a sufficient amount of liquid consumed (depending on the age of the child);
preference for teas, compotes with a minimum sugar content;
active sports.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a life-threatening disease

This is a disease in which work is temporarily disrupted. pharyngeal muscles, the tone in the respiratory passages decreases, and a short-term stop of air circulation in the body is observed. Apnea lasts from 10 seconds or more, all this time the body suffers from a lack of oxygen.

Sleep apnea occurs, so parents may not know about the problem for a long time. It is very important to address this problem in time for a qualified medical care because the disease can lead to cardiac arrest.

To avoid snoring in a child, you just need to follow a few simple rules:

Strengthening immunity. The protection of the child's body must be strengthened from the first days ( breast-feeding), gradually the child must be accustomed to hardening, personal hygiene, active image life.

Proper nutrition. Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in the child's diet, fermented milk products, complex carbohydrates. We must also not forget about the drinking regimen.

Walking on fresh air. Especially good for this purpose is the forest, the sea coast. It is important to dress your child according to the weather. Walking on the street will help to enrich the child's body with oxygen and prevent hypoxia.

Taking vitamins. On the shelves of pharmacies you can find many vitamins, vitamin complexes for children of different ages.

Video: Snoring in children

Does your child snore and sniffle in a dream, but there is no snot? This symptom does not always indicate a cold.

If children's snoring increases every day, regardless of the lying position, do not leave it unattended. Consider the problem and make the baby's breathing easier.

Symptoms

Annoying noisy breathing is the first alarming symptom for parents. When a child snores, depending on the cause, accompanying manifestations are distinguished:

tightness in the nose;
skin rashes;
labored breathing;
lacrimation;
cough;
hearing loss;
slurred speech.

A 7-month-old baby who began to snore and breathe noisily during sleep has daytime sleepiness and tearfulness. With adenoids and polyps, headaches, sneezing appear, mental activity decreases.

If an unbearable sound is accompanied by nightmares, start looking for the cause.

Video: The Union of Pediatricians of Russia - about the symptoms of the disease in children.

The reasons

Do you want to know why the child snores? The disease occurs under the influence of viral microorganisms, poor hygiene or congenital features nasopharynx. That is, a child can snore in a dream after an illness or for its reason - for example, with a runny nose or nasal congestion.

Before proceeding with treatment, consider the main causes of ronchopathy.

Pathological

When answering the question "why do children snore in their sleep?" it must be remembered that up to 5 years the child's body is especially vulnerable. Snoring can occur in a baby with a cold, chronic tonsillitis, sore throat - the mucous membrane of the oropharynx swells, which leads to soft tissue vibration.

Common pathological causes baby snoring:

epilepsy;
malocclusion of teeth;
underdeveloped back wall nasal cavity;
deviated septum in the nose;
obesity;
enlarged adenoids;
nasal polyps;
sleep apnea syndrome sleep (stop breathing);
allergic reaction.

Snoring with adenoids - alarm signal for parents. Consult an otolaryngologist to prevent complications.

Non-pathological

Ronchopathy does not always indicate diseases of the nasopharynx. The baby makes snuffling or grunting sounds when the soft palate begins to vibrate. Fabrics at this age are not elastic and tender.

Other causes of snoring in children:

poor ventilation in the room;
the presence of crusts in the nose;
hypothermia.

This also includes such anatomical features as an increase in the thymus (it atrophies with age) and narrow nasal passages (over time, they will expand, the air will pass more freely).

The thymus is located in the chest area and is responsible for the immune response. At the 3rd year of a child's life, he is quite large and, in the supine position, squeezes the trachea.

What is the danger of snoring in children

Snoring in children is a serious threat because it causes oxygen starvation. Pressure drops, headaches appear. The baby is constantly tired, drowsy, does not get enough sleep, as ronchopathy disrupts the sleep process.

Severe snoring in a child without proper treatment leads to respiratory arrest during sleep. Disturbed hormone production and work nervous system. The baby lags behind in development and is gradually gaining excess weight.

Diagnostics

Don't delay your visit to the doctor.

To find out why a child snores in a dream, if there is no snot, you need to contact an otolaryngologist. The doctor will examine oral cavity and nose.

Additional research may be needed:

blood and urine analysis;
swab from the nasopharynx;
radiography of the facial skull.

If the child snores, the doctor will see inflamed adenoids or polyps in the nose, the infant may have abnormalities of the soft and hard palate.

If necessary, polysomnography is prescribed: a night study will determine how dangerous sounds during sleep are.

Treatment of snoring in children

What to do if snoring when the baby sleeps becomes regular? It is necessary to find ways to deal with an unpleasant phenomenon.

Try at home to ease the baby's breathing - with the help of exercises and folk methods. Or children's snoring will help eliminate the doctor who will prescribe effective treatment depending on the reason.

Exercises

If the baby sniffs in his sleep at 2-4 years old, try special exercises- They help to normalize breathing. The main goal is to interest him so that he then performs them on his own.

Ask to cover one nostril with your finger. The second is to take a deep breath 6-7 times. Repeat with the other nostril. Effective for improving nasal breathing.
Baby needs to breathe full chest, inflating the stomach like a balloon. Then exhale slowly. Repeat 5-6 times.
Fix the palms on the shoulders. Inhale deeply with your chest and stretch up. Lower and repeat 6-7 times.
Stretch your arms forward, inhale. When tilting down, exhale noisily. Return to starting position and repeat 4-5 times.
Breathe deeply through your nose together. At the same time, turn your head to the right, and then to the left. Repeat several times.

The baby will be more willing to do gymnastics if the parents help. Do the exercises daily for several weeks.

Folk remedies

Simple home remedies will make your baby's breathing easier.

take advantage folk methods it is possible if the child snores at night at the age of 1 year and older. Before using the products, it is necessary to exclude an allergic reaction.

Simple ways to cure snoring in a child:

Take hot foot baths before bed. Add a few spoons mustard powder.
Dilute carrot juice with water and instill 1-2 drops into the nose.
Do it to the baby in the evening warm tea with the addition of linden or raspberry leaves.
Dilute aloe juice with clean water and instill 1 drop into the nose before resting.
Pour a tablespoon of rose hips with two cups of boiling water. Infuse for 30 minutes and take chilled throughout the day.
When snoring in a child of 3 years old, you can use nasal rinsing with a solution of salt.

Positive result from the application folk remedies noticeable after 1-2 weeks.

Children's snoring is not a reason to panic. In infants with birth defects, the disease appears from the first days of life.

Watch your child for several days. Doctor Komarovsky advises paying attention to every little thing if a child, and especially a baby, snores in a dream:

fast or slow falling asleep;
intensity and duration of sounds;
body position during rest;
night awakenings.

Komarovsky advises rinsing the nose with a weak saline solution. This procedure helps to moisturize the nasal mucosa.

If the baby slowly falls asleep, then it is necessary to ventilate the room more often and do wet cleaning. Dry air makes the mucus viscous, because of this, crusts form in the nasal cavity.

Perhaps the problem lies in the down pillow or blanket. Komarovsky does not recommend soft accessories that cause allergies. If the night awakenings of the baby become more frequent, teach him to sleep on his side.

Video: Evgeny Komarovsky - about the causes and treatment of ronchopathy in children.

Medical

If a newborn snores in a dream, only a doctor will prescribe the necessary medicines. In viral diseases, when the mucous throat swells, antiviral drugs are prescribed.

Nasal congestion and swelling are removed with vasoconstrictor drops. allergic reaction eliminated with antihistamines. For children with overweight the doctor will prescribe necessary diet and supporting vitamin complex.

Do not self-medicate if ronchopathy is accompanied by respiratory arrest.

Surgical

There are times when drug therapy powerless or unproductive. Then, after a detailed diagnosis, an operation is prescribed.

Surgical intervention is used for enlarged adenoids, the presence of polyps and congenital pathologies nasopharynx. The nasal septum is corrected adolescence, when bone skeleton fully formed.

The child had adenoids removed, but he still snores? Secondary snoring after removal of the adenoids appears due to incomplete excision of the overgrown tissue, enlarged palatine tonsils and violation of the doctor's instructions after the operation.

In the first two cases, a second operation is required. In case of violation of the postoperative regime, it is necessary to consult a doctor for additional advice.

Ways to make breathing easier

Follow the condition of the baby for several days.

To make it easier for a baby to breathe in a dream, you can purchase vasoconstrictor drops. They are used regardless of whether there is snot - they will relieve swelling of the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx. An alternative option is aromatic patches.

Turn a baby 5-8 months and younger in a dream on his stomach or on his side. Make sure your head is not too high.

Snoring in babies is normal. If there were anxiety symptoms(crying, sleep disturbance, bloating or diarrhea), you need to be alert. Have you noticed that your baby snores while sleeping? Watch him for a few days.

In the article, we will consider the causes and main symptoms of snoring in newborns in order to take timely treatment.

Symptoms of snoring in children

In most cases, sniffling goes away as you get older.

What to do if the newborn snores or grunts? It happens that the baby sleeps with his mouth open and snores. A symptom of a dangerous disease is the stoppage of the respiratory act. On inspiration, you can notice that the baby breathes unevenly.

Other symptoms:

frequent crying;
diarrhea;
bloating;
capriciousness;
restless sleep;
runny nose;
heat;
stop breathing.

If for several days the newborn grunts or snores quietly, then there is no need to worry. Usually the sounds go away after the appearance of the first teeth. Also in young children, this often indicates a lack of air in the room.

If one or more of the above symptoms appear, do not delay, but look for the reasons.

Causes of snoring in children

If you are concerned about the question of why a newborn snores, then there may be several reasons. Usually the baby makes such sounds during deep phase sleep. The condition is not a pathology and disappears on its own.

Respiratory problems are directly related to children's snoring. The newborn makes sounds due to mucus that has accumulated in the nose after suffering viral diseases.

Video: Dr. Komarovsky - why the child does not sleep well.

Physiological

If night snoring in a child is noted as an independent phenomenon, then there is no reason for concern. This points to physiological changes which are easily removed.

Healthy reasons:

Soft and mobile larynx. Children have vibration upper palate when inhaling, a characteristic snuffling sound is heard because of this.
Enlarged thymus. Some babies up to two years old have an enlarged gland, which is responsible for immunity. At the time of sleeping on the back, the thymus presses on the trachea, so this syndrome occurs. Over time, the baby will outgrow this problem.
Nasal passages, chest. The baby needs a lot of strength to fill a large chest oxygen. The process is hampered by undeveloped and narrow nasal passages.
Scabs in the nose. After a viral illness or as a result of insufficient hygiene crusts appear, so breathing during sleep is difficult and night sniffling occurs.
Fatigue. After a long walk, a newborn may fall asleep and snore, which indicates fatigue.

Usually the disease disappears after a while and does not require medical intervention. Physiological causes will not affect the health of the child.

If your baby is snoring and there are no other symptoms, then ventilate the room more often. The air must be clean, fresh and not dry.

Pathological

Perhaps your infant snores due to the characteristics of the organism or the presence of diseases.

Runny nose. Mucous secretions are an ideal environment for the development of infection. Only a doctor is able to determine the cause of a runny nose and eliminate it.
Adenoids. Violation of nasal breathing leads to the fact that the baby begins to breathe through the mouth. Adenoids may enlarge and block the air supply through nasal septum.
Apnea. dangerous disease, which is accompanied by a temporary delay in breathing during sleep.
Pathology of the nasopharynx. If the reason lies in the structural features of the nasopharynx, then it is noticeable what efforts the baby makes during inhalation.

Another reason for snoring is obesity. Until six months, this phenomenon is not treated, but only observed. Being overweight at an early age can lead to persistent snoring, endocrine and of cardio-vascular system.

Why is baby snoring dangerous?

Snoring in infants can cause complications.

If ignored dangerous symptoms, then apnea will occur over time. It is accompanied by relaxation of the muscles that close the gap for air to enter. Breathing just stops, and oxygen does not enter the body for about a minute!

When the baby resumes breathing, a sharp breath occurs. The baby may sob, sigh convulsively, or wake up crying. As a result, he does not get enough sleep, becomes capricious and significantly lags behind in development. The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in advanced form leads to vascular and metabolic disorders in the body.

Without proper treatment, snoring in an infant causes hypoxia (oxygen starvation). The disease is accompanied by a violation of the heartbeat and general well-being.

Diagnostics

To find out why a baby snores in a dream, do not delay going to the hospital. The first thing to do is to contact your pediatrician.

Diagnostics:

examination of the oral cavity, nasopharynx and ears;
definition additional symptoms;
swab from the nose;
x-ray;
analysis of urine and blood.

To determine apnea in a baby, the doctor conducts additional research- polysomnography.

According to the results of the diagnosis, the specialist will determine why the child often snores in his sleep. Maybe he's fine.

Features of treatment

If alarming symptoms occur, consult an otolaryngologist.

If an infant snores in a dream, after determining the cause, treatment is prescribed. Temperature, wheezing and shortness of breath are signs serious violations in the body. In this case, treatment only at home will not help.

After the examination, the doctor will advise the parents about medications, medications and physiotherapy for the baby. When anatomical features the doctor will take other measures. Such anomalies are removed by surgery.

Age-related features or nasal congestion do not require medical intervention. Clear your child's nasal passages cotton swab moistened with baby cream. After that, the snoring should stop.

Prevention of children's snoring

If your baby does not snore in his sleep, then do not rush to relax. It is necessary to prevent the appearance of the disease so that the baby sleeps and develops normally.

Preventive measures:

clean the nose with cotton swabs lubricated with cream;
monitor the humidity in the room;
the head should lie flat so that there is no bending of the neck.

Lay the baby on its side before going to bed. In this position, the baby is unlikely to snore.

Essential component sound sleep is a crib. It should be comfortable, but not too soft. You can buy a positioner pillow that will fix the baby's body in a certain position.

Try to always monitor the condition of the baby during sleep. Regularly ventilate the room and monitor the hygiene of the baby, then he will grow up healthy and full.

Many parents periodically notice that their baby snores in his sleep. But they do not consider this a serious problem, hoping that snoring will pass by itself. Parents of some boys generally consider this a sign of a growing child: “The guy is growing, he has already begun to snore - all in his father!”. In fact, even if the child just sniffles in his sleep, this is already a reason to sound the alarm. Why is snoring so dangerous for a child? Let's figure it out.

Yes, yes, when your five-year-old son starts snoring in his sleep, even just like his daddy, you should not be touched. Instead, you need to find out as soon as possible why the child snores in his sleep. There are many causes for snoring, but they all point to some problem that needs to be addressed. because healthy child should not snore in a dream, children snore or sniff only when something is wrong with themselves or with the world around them. So that baby snoring- an occasion to think and understand how and how to help the baby.

Snore- this is the vibration of the tongue and the wall of the pharynx under the pressure of air during breathing. Usually, when the nasal passages are sufficiently open, air passes freely and vibration does not occur. But when the nasal passages for some reason narrow or clog, overlap completely or partially, this is where snoring occurs. The most unpleasant thing about this phenomenon is that snoring not only indicates problems, but also provokes the development of mass undesirable consequences primarily associated with sleep disorders. because good sleep with difficulty breathing is impossible.

What kind backfire develop against the background of snoring, especially if it continues for quite a long time?

— chronic fatigue: due to sleep disturbances, restless and intermittent during snoring, the child does not get enough sleep, cannot wake up in the morning, wanders sluggish and sleepy during the day;

- decrease in motor activity, development of hypodynamia, a tendency to be overweight;

- due to inadequate rest due to sleep disturbances and insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain at night due to shortness of breath - decreased memory function, irritability, tearfulness, inability to concentrate - respectively, deterioration in learning abilities and developmental delay.

Even these, the most obvious reasons, are enough to take the most serious measures to eliminate snoring in children when the first symptoms appear, right? And for this you need to first understand why and when it occurs.

External causes of children's snoring

First of all, let's consider and exclude external causes snoring. There are three of them: overweight in a child, a foreign object in his nose and excessively dry air in the room.

Why does an overweight child snore? Because with obesity (and being overweight, dear mothers, this is obesity at one stage or another, sadly), fatty layers also develop in the nasal passages, narrowing them and making it difficult to breathe freely. To eliminate snoring in this case, you need to go to the endocrinologist, nutritionist and cardiologist to choose the best way lose weight. Having solved the problem physical form child, you will simultaneously eliminate the cause of snoring.

Even easier to eliminate snoring caused by excessively dry air in the baby's bedroom. Dry air dries out the nasal mucosa, hard crusts form on them, again narrowing the respiratory passages - and the baby begins to snore or sniff quite loudly in a dream. Very often sniff because of clogged nose start breast babies if mommy didn’t notice that the baby choked on milk while sucking and didn’t clean his nose in time.

In such cases, you do not even need to go to the doctors, and exercise will not have to do. All you need is to clean the baby's nose before going to bed cotton swab moistened with vaseline oil or simply boiled water, and an older child can be taught to rinse his nose with sea water. And of course, make sure that the bedroom (and the whole house) has enough humid air. To do this, you can purchase special humidifiers, or simply hang wet sheets or towels on batteries.

Finally, the most dangerous external cause of snoring in a child is a foreign object that the baby has stuck in his nose and now cannot breathe calmly because of it. If your child not only snores at night, but also breathes with his mouth open during the day, although he does not have a runny nose, be sure to take him to an otolaryngologist. You need to check if there is anything foreign in his nose. one year old babies, exploring the functions and details of their body, they often stuff peas, buttons or pieces of fruit into their noses, and even older children sometimes have to remove the most unexpected objects from their noses. But traumatologists will tell you better about this ...

Improper development of organs that cause children's snoring

Snoring in infants and children up to a year is often provoked by such causes as pathological development and overgrowth of the nasal passages and. That is, if a child’s upper and lower jaws develop incorrectly during growth, the nasal septum thickens excessively, or curvatures occur that narrow or overlap Airways, then the child snores in his sleep, and in addition gets a bunch of serious problems associated with breathing and sleep disorders. We will talk seriously about these problems later, after we consider the most common causes of snoring in a child - chronic diseases respiratory organs.

signs improper development- Naturally, snoring, constantly open mouth during wakefulness, problems with speech, pushed forward or overhanging lower jaw, large gaps between the front teeth. Naturally, it is not up to parents to solve or fix such a problem on their own. Here you need a specialist who, surgically or by other methods, will eliminate the threat of improper development of the respiratory tract or bite. Now dentists, with the help of special braces and inserts, correct malocclusions even on milk teeth! Having coped with the main problem, you will simultaneously eliminate the cause of children's snoring.

Diseases that cause snoring in children

Finally, we move on to the most common cause of snoring. In children, these are diseases of the ENT organs that cause swelling of the nasopharynx and obstruction of the respiratory tract: allergies, rhinitis, sinusitis, influenza, acute respiratory infections and tonsillitis. Separately, we want to mention such a reason for snoring babies as adenoids. Or, speaking scientific language, adenoid vegetations. Acute, abdominal and chronic sluggish inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx, respiratory tract and nasal passages cause excessive activity of the mucous membranes and thickening of the nasal septa due to edema. The respiratory tract is clogged with mucous secretions, sputum, and due to constant sluggish inflammatory process at adenoid vegetations the tonsils themselves increase in size and, when breathing during sleep, block the airways. This is where snoring occurs - in infants and older children. So even a banal runny nose can cause a baby to snore loudly.

What are adenoids and how dangerous are they (Komarovsky):

Of course, if the child has a runny nose, and he began to sniffle or snore in his sleep, there is no serious reason to sound the alarm. In a week or two, along with a runny nose, snoring will also pass - as soon as the nasal passages are cleared of snot and swelling. But if constantly daytime the child sniffs and snores in his sleep for more than a month, here there is already a reason to see a doctor to get rid of snoring and the causes that caused it.

The next problem, which may indicate children's snoring - sleep apnea, or respiratory arrest syndrome. This is very serious problem, a topic for a separate discussion. In our article, we would like to point out that this disorder most often found in babies who are weakened, born before term, inactive and suffering from a decrease in immunity - and as a result, they often catch colds and infectious diseases. Sleep apnea has three forms:

- obstructive, caused by narrowing or blockage of the airways due to persistent infections of the respiratory tract;

- central, associated with delayed development and disruption of the central nervous system ( CNS),

- mixed, which combines both the first and second types of disorders.

The main danger of apnea is the sudden cessation of breathing during sleep for a period of thirty seconds to three minutes. Which may resume, and may lead to lethal outcome. According to pediatricians, it is apnea that causes sudden death babies in 86 cases out of 100. For reference - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)- this is death during sleep from unexplained causes externally healthy child under the age of one year. SIDS is diagnosed when an autopsy cannot determine the cause of death.

Apnea, stopping breathing during a night's sleep can occur up to 100 times, this is officially established. And in the morning the baby may not remember at all that he woke up at night. Although every time after stopping breathing, the child convulsively snores, wakes up and shudders. Naturally, about any restful sleep out of the question. Therefore, over time, children with sleep apnea develop insomnia due to sleep disturbances, as well as other classic signs - chronic fatigue, daytime sleepiness and attention disorder. Followed by more serious ailments type of diseases of the cardiovascular system, sharp rises blood pressure and deterioration mental capacity due to oxygen starvation. Therefore, if your child constantly wants to sleep during the day and snores at night, it makes sense to follow him at night. And if you notice moments of convulsive awakenings, be sure to consult a doctor, and also take immediate measures to prevent apnea attacks on your own. How to do this, we will tell further.

And now let's talk about the most insidious and serious of the causes of children's snoring - about epilepsy. And about a certain variety of this disease - namely, Rolandic epilepsy. This type of epilepsy is most often diagnosed in children in two years old. And since her attacks occur exclusively at night, she most often remains unrecognized. Only the snoring of a child will help you sound the alarm, watch the child at night and, having identified the appropriate symptoms, consult a doctor in a timely manner. Remember that a child with epilepsy must be constantly monitored by specialists and receive appropriate treatment. In this case, with age, by the age of 16-18, the disease usually disappears.

Signs of Rolandic epilepsy:

- convulsions affecting only half of the head - the right or left half of the face, tongue and throat. Outwardly, they look quite scary - with half of the face, the sleeping child seems to be making scary groves;

— increased salivation;

- snoring, slightly different from the usual sound. In rolandic epilepsy, it is more like the sounds that accompany gargling, because it is caused by saliva that has entered the child's upper respiratory tract.

Children's snoring - which doctor should I contact?

Let's be consistent. First of all, we will eliminate such external causes as dry air in the room and foreign objects in the nasal passages of the child. It is not necessary to remove foreign objects and objects on your own, so as not to damage the mucous membranes of the baby, therefore, if the baby really put something in his nose, it is best to contact a Traumatologist or Otolaryngologist.

deal with overweight child will help you Therapist, Endocrinologist, Cardiologist and Rheumatologist. They will find out the causes of obesity, make necessary tests and suggest a diet physical exercise which will help the baby to normalize weight.

If the problem of snoring is associated with diseases of the ENT organs, from the common cold to sinusitis and adenoids, then you should contact the Therapist and Otolaryngologist. And please do not delay or start treatment so that the disease is not accepted. chronic form! You have probably already been imbued with the idea that snot in itself, perhaps, is not terrible, but as a reason, snoring and associated sleep and developmental disorders is a serious enough problem that requires immediate attention.

Dr. Komarovsky about children's snoring (video):

If the cause of snoring is related to overhanging mandible and pathological development nasal passages and septa, you should definitely contact your Dentist, Orthodontist and Therapist. As we have already said, there are special methods corrections for children up to three years and older than three years, including without surgical intervention.

If night observations of a snoring baby reveal signs of respiratory arrest syndrome, apnea, or rolandic epilepsy, you should immediately contact a Therapist and Neurologist, conduct a full-fledged study: make an electroencephalogram, check motor activity eyeball, make measurements of changes in blood concentration during the night period, electromyography. Therefore, in serious cases the child is usually hospitalized and examined and treated in clinical setting, primarily prescribing an oxygen mask. And in milder cases, on the advice of a doctor, they resort to proven ways to get rid of snoring at home, which we will tell you about now.

Tips to help your child stop snoring

Regular airing of the room, fresh and well-humidified air in the bedroom;
Sleeping on your stomach (by the way, this simple technique can reduce the incidence of apnea by 66 percent!) Or on your side. To provide correct posture during sleep, the baby is placed under the back of a special pillow or put in a pocket sewn on pajamas in the area of the shoulder blades, a regular ball or a ping pong ball. A pediatrician will tell you more about such devices.
In case snoring is caused malocclusion, curvature of the nasal septum or defects in the development of the nasal passages, special liners can help, which are inserted into the child's mouth before bedtime and correct the degree of protrusion of the lower jaw or do not allow him to close his lips tightly, leaving access for breathing through his mouth. Thanks to similar "gadgets" the child has the opportunity to fully breathe and sleep peacefully during the night. But they should be advised to you by a specialist. And of course they don't cancel traditional treatment main problem.
In the event that the nasal septum, pharynx and larynx are enlarged due to an infection or allergy, antihistamines and antibacterial agents that reduce swelling and fight pathogens, as well as vasoconstrictors. Moreover, we would advise you not to get carried away with nasal sprays, but to give preference to special children's syrups and potions. Yeah they don't give it instant effect, but also less traumatic for the mucous membrane of the baby.
If you coped with the disease, and snoring or sniffing, as a result of softening of the walls of the pharynx and palatine uvula, a decrease in the overall tone of the pharynx remains, special exercises from snoring will help you strengthen them. In principle, there are many such exercises, and they are all effective to a greater or lesser extent, so you can read special literature or find them on the Internet and create an exercise program to your liking. We offer you some effective tricks that kids will surely like.

— "Show me your tongue!" together with the baby, standing or sitting opposite each other, stick out your tongue as much as possible and at the same time speak louder "ahh!" like teasing. Moreover, you need to show the tongue for 30 seconds, no less, and repeat this exercise at least 30 times in a row.

— "Ball on the cheek": close your lips tightly, puff out your cheeks and roll the air ball from one cheek to another, puffing your cheeks as much as possible in turn. Think to yourself - you also need to roll the ball thirty times in a row.

— "Let's pose!": yawn with all your might, opening your mouth and tensing the muscles of the lower jaw and throat, howling at the same time, ten times in a row.

— "We blow into the tube!": take a full breath, puff out your cheeks, pull your folded lips forward and blow out the air with force. You can blow out a candle in this way, or drive a boat around a bowl of water - it doesn’t matter. The main thing is to do this exercise at least 15 times in a row.

We hope that our article will help you and your baby to get rid of snoring and its causes safely and in a timely manner. Happiness and health to you, dear children and mothers!