{
  "id": 5215155,
  "title": "Childhood sleep apnea: When snoring is more than a noisy night",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/childhood-sleep-apnea-when-snoring-is-more-than-a-noisy-night",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-03T01:20:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-childhood-apnea-noisy-night.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Childhood sleep apnea is a condition where a child's airway becomes repeatedly blocked or narrowed during sleep. This can lead to loud snoring, gasping, restless sleep and daytime behavioral or learning problems. Enlarged tonsils and adenoids, obesity, and differences in the shape of the skull or jaw are common causes. Other risk factors include allergic rhinitis, asthma, and premature birth. Children with certain genetic conditions, like Down syndrome, are also at higher risk. Globally, childhood obesity rates have increased, which may contribute to sleep apnea. If a child regularly snores loudly, has pauses or gasps during sleep, breathes through their mouth, or appears to struggle for breath, they should be assessed by a doctor. Diagnosis involves a polysomnography, or overnight sleep study, which records brain activity, airflow, breathing effort, heart rate and blood oxygen. Treatment depends on the cause and severity. Enlarged tonsils and adenoids can be removed through surgery, which may improve symptoms, behavior, and sleep quality. In mild cases, nasal inflammation may be treated with anti-inflammatory steroid sprays. For children who do not respond to these treatments, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy can be used to keep the airway open during sleep. Regular check-ups should include a question about snoring to help identify and treat childhood sleep apnea early.",
  "summary": "A child who snores loudly every night might seem like a funny sight. But if that snoring accompanies repeated narrowing or blockage of the airway, the effects can reach far beyond a noisy night.",
  "key_points": [
    "Childhood sleep apnea causes loud snoring, gasping, restless sleep",
    "Enlarged tonsils, adenoids, obesity, genetic conditions are common causes",
    "Diagnosis involves overnight sleep study, treatment depends on cause"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Identifying childhood sleep apnea early through regular check-ups and parental awareness can lead to effective treatment and improved symptoms, behavior, and sleep quality for affected children.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}