Child Pain and Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders in children are conditions that prevent them from getting the oxygen needed while they sleep, creating a form of suffocation. Obstructive sleep apnea in children is being increasingly recognized as a cause of attention and behavior problems as well as learning and developmental problems.

Symptoms include:

• Snoring
• Mouth breathing
• Restlessness during sleep
• Sleeping in odd positions
• Periods of not breathing
• Teeth grinding
• Night terrors
• Mood changes
• Poor concentration
• Bed wetting
• Headaches
• Frequent infections

Children with undiagnosed OSA are frequently misdiagnosed as having ADHD and placed on unnecessary medications.

Sleep Related Breathing Disorders for Children

Orthodontics/Orthopedics for Treatment of OSA

Adult therapies for the management of OSA are not suitable for children. Therapies such as CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) and (OAT) Oral Appliance Therapy have been known to arrest skeletal development of the growing child. The good news is, with proper diagnosis and communication between medical and dental providers, treatment of OSA shows better results when treated early in life!

Orthodontics for Airway Development

At TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centre, an increase in airway volume is always our goal in the treatment of Pediatric OSA. The airway is evaluated and any obstructions are addressed. Obstructions can occur anywhere in the airway and are not limited to the mouth and nose. Common procedures in airway development involve upper and lower jaw expansion and relationship changes, myofunctional tongue and lip exercises and lifestyle changes. Orthopedic airway development has a very high success rate in pediatric patients.

Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent but under-diagnosed disease. The importance of screening for OSA in every child has been recently been re-emphasized by the American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines.

Craniofacial Pain for Children (TMD/TMJ)

The good news with children is that they are still in developmental stage and the earlier the problem is diagnosed and treated the better the results!

Craniofacial Pain Services for Children – may include 1 or more of the following

• Comprehensive diagnostics
• Non-surgical treatment plan for rehabilitation
• Orthopedic orthodontic development
• Nutritional counseling
• Supplement regimens
• Physical medicine treatment (Laser therapy, phonophoresis)
• Multi-discipline Referral Coordination

Craniofacial pain, although most commonly thought of as a disorder affecting only adults, can present in children at an early age. It may be milder or it may simply seem milder because unlike adult onset conditions, these young children have always had symptoms of jaw pain and headaches or difficulty in normal functions of opening, chewing, swallowing, speaking and communications. As sad as it sounds, they know no difference and assume pain and/or difficulties with function are normal and what everyone experiences. Unfortunately, if undiagnosed and left untreated, the symptoms and condition increase with age.