Just got this email from my sister regarding my nephew's sleep apnea

by DanTheMan 8 Replies latest jw friends

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  DanTheMan

  Hello all. As you know, last year-7th grade was extraordinarily difficult for B (and me). toward the end of the school year, I took B to an adolescent psychologist to try to sort out the problems because I just couldn't figure it out. The psychologist ran a battery of tests related to ADD/ADHD and B came up negative on both counts. (we did this in second grade too so I wasn't too suprised). I happened to mention to the psychologist that b snores a lot and he recommended I take him to his pediatrician to eliminate any physical causes to his problems (extremely disorganized, difficulty concentrating, immature, and being a serious wiggle worm). Also last year, B's ortho had done an x-ray and said that his face was actually becoming exceptionally elongated due to the amount of mouth breathing. He suggested I see an ENT about the problem but I guess I didn't take it all that seriously. So last may I took b to see Dr. H, his pediatrician, and he suggested I take B to see an ENT to see if B had sleep apnea. He said this may very well be a problem for b. He recommended an ENT whom I was finally able to get B in to see today. The ENT said that indeed b has enlarged tonsils/adnoids. He also noted B's elongated facial structure. He also noticed that b breathed through his mouth the entire time of the appointment. This along with his history of serious snoring and the orthodontist's notice of his facial structure through x-rays led him to the conclusion that B indeed does have a bad case of sleep apnea. I never really thought of the snoring and mouth breathing as a serious problem-but it puts a lot of pieces together. I have been reading on the internet and it causes moodiness (B), difficulty learning/concentrating (B), being underweight (B), and slow in physical and emotional maturity (B). Relatedly, it is often misdiagnosed as ADD or ADHD. The doc today strongly recommended a T & A (tonsil and adenoids removed). This will probably be happening soon. I feel sort of a sense of relief even though I'm not wholly convinced this will solve all of B's problems. I do believe it will help though. I will keep you posted on when the surgery will be scheduled. B isn't too excited about the whole thing as you can imagine and he's making a desperate effort to breath with his mouth closed (unsuccessfully).

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  So, has anybody else on the board experienced this themselves or with their children? Your comments are appreciated.
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  Francois

  I have sleep apnea and it's a real problem. I snore so loudly, the screws holding the sheet rock onto the wall studs are slowly backing out.
  

  However I was unable to use the standard CPAP machine (as are 50% of the people who are prescribed one) because I could not tolerate the masks, and I tried at least 6 different masks before giving up. People with apnea are far more likely to drop dead for no good reason, to die earlier than should be expected, to have heart attacks and strokes at very young ages, etc.

  Just a few months ago, a new mask called the Breeze was released. It's a hard mask that fits on top of your head with a tube running down between your eyes and with little soft rubber pillows that fit one to a nostril. It took me about three weeks to get used to it. Now I wouldn't go anywhere without my CPAP machine and my mask, even for one night. I use it when I take naps in the afternoon. In short, if I'm sleeping, I've got on my Breeze mask.

  And this new little CPAP machine is less than half the size of a shoe box. I got it in Georgia from Advantage Medical Equipment. The Breeze mask will go on any CPAP machine and I recommend it for any one. I'm finally getting some sleep and I feel better than I have felt in at least ten years.

  Send a PM to me if you'd like to discuss this privately.

  Best,
  francois

  Here's the CPAP Machine

  And Here's the Breeze Mask

  Go get 'em
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  Joyzabel

  wow, that's sexy Francios, you couldn't wear that to bed????
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  DanTheMan

  Thanks Frank & Joy

  I had never heard of immaturity and hyperactivity in children being caused by sleep apnea, I was hoping that maybe somebody else on the board had had a similar experience or knew of one. Looks like not.

  So much for that! Good night.
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  Mulan

  My youngest son has a long face, (so do I though) snores since early childhood, and also was immature. Hmmmm.

  I've read a lot on Aspberger's syndrome, and am still convinced he has it, but the sleep apnea thing is intriguing. Yes.............keep us posted.
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  Francois

  Of course you can wear it to bed. I mean, that's where I do the majority of my sleeping. And I tend to sleep mostly on my right side, too. Once you get used to this thing you hardly know it's there. Highly recommended. Oh, and you can't hear the machine and you can barely hear the breathing going on either.

  francois
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  Special K

  My son had both adnoids and tonsils out at 6 years old.

  He would always be struggling in his sleep and was continually restless, tossing and turning.

  Actually his teacher was instrumental in suggesting we get him checked.

  He was such a quiet boy... as the other children took off with their speech in grade primary and then sped up even faster in grade one.. He stopped talking more and more. Just one or two words or a sentence. He just didn't like talking much it seemed.

  Her observance, through 20 years of teaching young children.. was that he couldn't really ever breathe through this nose and you need to breather through your nose in order to speak at any speed.

  As other children sped up talking, he could not, so he just became more and more quiet.

  The teacher was right. We had him checked by an ENT. His adnoids were overly large as well as his tonsils extremely large, plus he had numerous ear infections so wasn't hearing that well either.

  His surgery was have his tonsils out, adnoids removed and tubes in his ears (all performed during the same surgery)

  The difference in his breathing was IMMEDIATE as they wheeled him out of surgery. HE could breathe.

  He could breathe, He slept WELL and longer, He became brighter and more alert.... and has slept like a log ever since.

  When you think about it. If a child has these problems they are never really getting into their REM type of sleep. Also, different organs work at repairing and cleansing themselves only after we have been in a deeper type of sleep for sometimes a couple of hours.

  With sleep apnea your never getting the rest you need to function properly.

  Hope it all works out well for you

  Special K
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  DanTheMan

  thanks for relating that experience Special K. I'm glad things worked out for your son.

  I never thought about the lack of deep restorative sleep being the cause of so much that ails my nephew (and he ails).

  The sweetest most sensitive kid on one hand, but immature and disorganized as hell on the other. I hope this surgery does him good, I love the kid like crazy!!!
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  Trauma_Hound

  I also have sleep apnea, and use a CPAP, it's a life changer. I couldn't stand the breeze thing, too much direct pressure on my nose, I felt like I was drowning with it on, so I use a regular mask, I got used to almost right away.