Six year old snoring - sleep apnoea?

[CaffeinatedMum]

My six year old has always been a chronically noisy snorer. I’ve never thought too much about it until recently when his behaviour has started to escalate and we are convinced it’s because he’s always so tired. Started looking into it and it sounds like the snoring could actually be linked and it could be sleep apnoea. Going to book a doctors appointment but just after any advice or similar stories?

Feel like the doctor will just laugh us out the surgery for taking him in because he snores.

His dad had his adenoids removed as a kid and his uncle has sleep apnoea (not sure if it’s hereditary). When he was younger we were all concerned as he kept having choking incidents but a nurse said she could see no issues and he seems to have grown out of that.

Any advice or experiences welcome!

I was going to say adenoids, DC used to be a terrible snorer, pretty much from birth until about 8.
Was also under paediatric care for hearing loss which improved significantly around the same age, the paediatrician told us that basically DC had finally grown enough that adenoids and tonsils finally had enough room and weren’t pressing on/getting in the way of anything anymore!

DC also used to wake up choking due to massive tonsils restricting the airway, that went away with age/growth

Have you watched him to see if it’s sleep apnoea. It’s like breath holding, taking a breath then holding it. Gasping for air. Not sleeping well, being restless and then tired in the day, as well as snoring.

My DS had his tonsils out for obstructive sleep apnoea. It was the best decision I made, but I did video it to show the GP. It definitely helped to do this.

You’re right to get it checked constant loud snoring plus behaviour changes can be linked to Obstructive Sleep Apnea in children.
A GP won’t dismiss this, it’s a common and valid concern.

My 3 year old snores and has had sleep apnea since i can remember, she's been referred to have her tonsils and andenoids out, she has very large tonsils which need to come out, but he did say its probably adenoids causing the sleep issues, if you can, get some videos of the apnea, they need to be able to see the childs face in the video, and you can then show them to the doctor at the appointment, this helped with our referral and approval for the procedure. She hasn't had it done yet, we have postponed it just until she understands a little better.

It’s not acceptable for your GP to take that approach. Go to see a different GP (you have a right to a second opinion) and ask for an ENT referral.

My DC didn't snore but had apnea, he had adenoids out for hearing issues and he slept through 2 weeks after the op for the first time ever! I felt very guilty. We just thought he was a bad sleeper. I would push for a hearing test and video his sleep. Definitely push for an ENT appointment. Some people go through years trying to get support and have to have sleep studies. In our case they just x rayed the adenoids, said "yep they've got to go" and he had them out a few weeks later. It's getting through the GP that was the main battle. In the end I just had to say outright "please refer us to an ent today, no delay" after we had been fobbed off a few months.

Choking is a concern. It could also be EoE if he has any food sensitivities.

My son had this, we got a referral to ENT, they checked tonsils and adanoids(sp). He has bad allergies and the allergies were causing his nose to becone very inflamed, the Dr prescribed steroid based nasal drops and the change has been amazing for him.

Can your child breathe in through their nose, and blow their nose out? If not something like enlarged adenoids is probably the issue. That was the first test our ENT did with my child’s. No issues since having them removed.

could also be tonsils, allergies or indeed sleep apnoea. Keep going to the GP, and take recordings of him sleeping. The ENT asked for that too if I remember.