Toddler with sleep apnea?

intothewest

We have a 23mth old, who has always been what we call in our house ‘adenoidy’! Since day one, he’s been very nasaly, breaths through his mouth, snores loudly. He also seems to be allergy prone. He’s allergic to dust mites, horses and peanuts, which obviously don’t help the adenoid situation. Since I’ve learned about the dust mite allergy, I’ve taken steps to minimise the level of dust mites in the house and his room, but they aren’t eliminated so we’ve more work to do on that front. I’ve mentioned his adenoids a couple of times to two diff doctors when we were in there for other reasons. Both times they kind of brushed it aside and I got the impression that they tend to leave them to see if their airways grow, and that they are prob just too large for him at the moment. However, I feel that he has sleep apnea because of them. When I went to check on him last night I really noticed how interrupted his breathing is, and how he’s not breathing at (regular stages), and when he is it’s hard work…I observed him for a while last night, and by time I left his room he was breathing ok, but it was quite laboured. Do I go to the doc and insist on getting a referral to an ear and throat specialist for him to get looked at further? He takes a doodee for sleeps only, and a good few nights we might have to go into him at some stage to give him the doodee, but starting to think it may be the apnea disturbing him. Has anyone heard of a toddler that age having them removed?

Moonbeam

You need to go talk to your gp and maybe request a sleep test.

Mod Note: No one is to give out medical advice to the op but you are welcome to share similar experiences.

Gee_G

I would say go and Tell your doctor you are just not happy with how he is breathing.and yes, ask to be referred and see what they say.
I was allergic to dust when I was younger. My parents had an awful time trying to keep all dust free. Got rid of carpets, teddy's etc. But I grew out of it. I think my little man is going to be the same as I was, I've mostly had to stop using flannel sheets(I think that's what they are called!)
And I had to stop using fleece blankets too. As they seem to just hold dust and he would always get very stuffed up when I used them!
I hope you get sorted soon

intothewest

It’s only been mentioned in passing to my GP, so naturally they aren’t too concerned when I haven’t been…but after watching him struggle breathing last night, my gut is telling me to get it investigated further. He has always been a good sleeper, but as I said before, would wake regularly..was easily put back to sleep by giving him a doodee, but thinking some of those incidents could have been due to disturbed sleep rather than really needing it. A lot of time after a long sleep or nap, he’d be in a total foul mood, so might be that he’s not getting sufficient rest despite the time he is sleeping (I know they can be like that anyway).

Any advice on routes people have taken to get this looked into would be great. It’s possible he could be having headaches too as a result, cos he’s not talking much yet he can’t tell us.


Gee G, what do you use instead of flannel sheets and fleece blankets? I've been changing his regularly, but not sure what to use instead? Wool blankets?

Gee_G

intothewest wrote: »

It’s only been mentioned in passing to my GP, so naturally they aren’t too concerned when I haven’t been…but after watching him struggle breathing last night, my gut is telling me to get it investigated further. He has always been a good sleeper, but as I said before, would wake regularly..was easily put back to sleep by giving him a doodee, but thinking some of those incidents could have been due to disturbed sleep rather than really needing it. A lot of time after a long sleep or nap, he’d be in a total foul mood, so might be that he’s not getting sufficient rest despite the time he is sleeping (I know they can be like that anyway).

Any advice on routes people have taken to get this looked into would be great. It’s possible he could be having headaches too as a result, cos he’s not talking much yet he can’t tell us.


Gee G, what do you use instead of flannel sheets and fleece blankets? I've been changing his regularly, but not sure what to use instead? Wool blankets?

I use cellular blankets and also a little duvet(the little one's you can get in a like a bumper set, my sister gave it to me ) but obviously I put it right down underneath the mattress so he can't pull it up. The cot bed sheets I got them in Argos, they are 100% cotton, flat sheets. I also got the airwrap bumper for the cot rather than the normal one's. Maybe it's just something I have in my head but I imagine they wouldn't hold as much dust and are more breathable! Hope this helps

LilMrsDahamsta

I'd definitely push to get it checked out more thoroughly than has been done to date. A neighbour's child had quite severe apnoea for the first 18 months or so and ended up being quite delayed in language and motor skills as she was always so tired. She's catching up now after having adenoids and tonsils out, but it was only spotted when a locum GP made a chance observation and insisted the mother take the child for further testing. Just goes to show not all GPs are well up on the condition and a specialist referral may be your best option.

MrCreosote

Go to your GP, but make it a specific visit for this particular problem, rather than tacking it onto another consultation. Be clear that you think it's a problem, and if you're not happy with the outcome, get a second opinion.

intothewest

Brought him to the doc today. I took a short video of him last night sleeping, and it was useful for the doc to see. He timed it that his pauses in breathing was 7 seconds, and that was him at normal breathing…sometimes he is more laboured/stuffed up than that. He looked at his nasal passages and said they were narrow too. Anyway, he’s referred us to an ENT specialist so he can get looked at further and I guess they will have a better idea of how mild/severe it is and next steps. In the meantime, we’re just going to have to be more diligent on the dust front so as to minimise his nasal area/adenoids getting enlarged further.

MrCreosote

Great idea with the video!