Posted by Sandman on January 07, 2008 at 11:25:04:In Reply to: 3 year old poor sleeper posted by nzgal on January 06, 2008 at 12:38:33:
My guess would be the emergency surgery is not causing the problem he is having now. Not sure if all swelling is gone, which can take longer in some cases.
I would agree with the surgeon that your son was experiencing sleep apnea. What apnea will do is cause an abnormal development of the face which will set him up for it's return in later years, if it is gone now. The tonsils and adenoids are only part of the problem. If the nasal passages are narrow, they can cause apnea. If you notice your child mouth breathing it is a red flag.
If your child has a small recessed chin caused by the apena there will be a problem with the tongue not having enough room in the mouth during sleep and it will be sucked into the airway and you are back to sleep apnea.
Also, if he is making any noise while sleeping or moving around a lot or making extra effort to breath you should take him to a sleep surgeon who is boarded in sleep medicine. Taking care of these problems early is very important.
If your child is sleeping like a baby, no problems, then the problem is behavioral. There are psychologist who are boarded in sleep that can help with this issue.
Best wishes,
Sandman