Why Parents Shouldn't Ignore Snoring In Children - Pediatrician

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Consultant pediatrician Dr Ayodele Renner has urged parents to seek medical attention for their snoring children, noting that it could be a sign of serious health issues.

According to him, snoring is often due to difficulty in breathing which may have been caused by infected adenoids.

The child health expert explained that children sometimes snore when the adenoids are enlarged due to infections or allergies.

According to an online child health protection site - Kidshealth.org, the adenoids are a patch of tissue that sits at the very bottom of the nasal passage.

Like the tonsils, adenoids help keep the body healthy by trapping harmful bacteria and viruses that we breathe in or swallow.

They do important work as infection fighters for babies and young children, the childcare site noted.

Speaking further, the children's health advocate said, "The adenoids are tissues somewhere behind the nose that help us fight infection.

"When enlarged adenoids due to infections or allergies, they can lead to breathing difficulties.

"Children may breathe through their mouths when awake and snore terribly when sleeping. It can cause repeated and frequent fever as it can become infected.

"This snoring can be so disruptive to sleep that it keeps everyone awake," he noted, adding that "frequent visits to hospitals for infections can also be a source of frustration for parents".

Speaking about managing adenoids, Renner said the condition can be successfully managed conservatively in some children, while others may need surgery to have the adenoids removed by an ear, nose and throat surgeon as a last resort.

According to experts, although the adenoid glands are part of the immune system and help protect the body against viruses and bacteria, surgery may be necessary to remove the adenoids when they become swollen or enlarged due to infection or allergies.