Healthy Start System™ And Pediatric Sleep-Disordered Breathing

How Can I Tell if My Child Has Sleep-Disordered Breathing?

Snoring is the first telltale sign that your child may have Sleep-Disordered Breathing. Gasping and snorting sounds may make you wonder if a bull is spending the night with your child. These sounds stem from your child waking up from his or her sleep struggling to breathe. Sometimes SDB is less obvious however. During a brief in office evaluation, Dr. Gehlert can expertly evaluate a child’s risk of SDB and implement the Health Start System which eliminates interrupted sleep and it’s long term side effects.

Consequences of Sleep-Disordered Breathing

When your child does not get a good night’s sleep, she or he may become irritable, may require sleep during the day, and may have difficulty concentrating in school. On the other hand, your child’s behavior could become hyperactive. These behaviors could possibly lead to the following consequences of SDB.

• Behavior and Learning: If your child suffers from sleep-disordered breathing, he or she may exhibit disruptive behavior at home or at school, especially in reading and mathematics. Attention deficit disorders (both ADD and ADHD) have been linked to poor sleep. Many pediatricians claim that children under the age of 6 can not be diagnosed correctly with ADD/ADHD, but should be diagnosed as SDB instead. Some medical doctors even have difficulty differentiating between SDB and ADD/ADHD at this age because the signs and symptoms mimic each other so closely.
• Growth: Sleep-disordered breathing could affect the production of growth hormones stymieing proper development.
• Enuresis: If your child is a bed wetter, the imbalance of the endocrine system caused by sleep-disordered breathing is the probable cause.
• Obesity: If your child has sleep-disordered breathing, his or her body may be resistant to insulin or experience daytime fatigue, resulting in decreased physical activity.
• Social: Loud snoring can become a social issue if your child shares a room with siblings or avoids sleepovers because of embarrassing loud snoring.

How Does Healthy Start Rectify the Consequences of Sleep-Disordered Breathing?

Dr. Bowen and Dr. Gehlert thrive on offering time-tested procedures to their patients. Researchers and developers have carefully designed the Healthy Start System, adaptable to each patient’s individual needs. Our ability to determine the optimal Healthy Start System for your child makes us the dental team that you want to correct your child’s SDB.

Consider The Healthy Start System

We wants each member of your family to have their best oral health and brightest smile. The Healthy Start system is the perfect way to start! Contact us today to schedule a consultation for you or your child.