very noisy breathing at night and then he seems to stop...

[leothelioness]

My 3 yr old has always snored the dr told me that it was nothing to worry about but his breathing has always seemed very noisy.
At the moment had a blocked nose following on from a cold about 3 weeks ago I was listening to him breath over the last couple of nights and he seems to be very silent for about 10 seconds and then takes in a big gasp of breath. other than this he does not seem poorly but I am not sure what to think I am not sure if I am over reacting as I have brought up his breathing with a few drs since he was a baby but they have always said it was nothing.

Maybe he is having periods of sleep apnoea.It can be quite common in older people but have never heard of it in children.Will try a link in a mo.

paediatrics.about.com/CS/sleep/a/sleep_apnea.htm

Thanks Mavis will take a look at it.

My DD had sleep apnoea and snored a lot. She's had her tonsils and adeoids removed, and now she hardly snores at all and the sleep apnoea has disappeared.

You should get it checked as it's quite serious in that it disrupts the child's sleep, so they are tired all the time.

I should add, when my dd was finally refered to an ear-nose-throat specialist (like yours, my GP told me it was nothing to worry about ) he said she had huge tonsils, which were causing the problem.

My DD did this from birth (cue one trip to hospital in an ambulance at 6 days old). They said she would probably grow out of it by the time she was 5. She had her adenoids out at age 3 (for an unrelated condition) and her sleep apnoea stopped at about the same time - not sure if the two were linked.

My dd2 had sleep apnoea as a toddler, which got steadily worse until she had her tonsils and adenoids out aged just 2...she still has it when her nose is blocked by a cold, but otherwise is much better.

For the time being, you could try a humidifier (helped dd more than anything else), and raise the end of his bed...its not harmful if its temporary, but if its ongoing best to see ENT for advice

Should add, dd2 also was born with laryngomalacia (floppy larynx) which she is slowly growing out of (or into, to be exact!) which made the apnoea worse as her tonsils and adenoids grew. It wasn't diagnosed for a few weeks, but makes a classic squeaky sound on the inbreath - (doesn't sound like your ds, but I always post about it in case it helps anyone!)

Thanks for all the replies. I could try putting a pillow under his mattress. can't raise the bed from underneath as it is a bunk bed.
I was told he would probably grow out of it as he got older but again that it was noting to worry about. I will look into getting a humidifier as it could be the heating drying the air out at night making it worse along with the cold.
I will persue my GP too and see if they can figure out what exactly is causing it.
I guess I worry about his breathing more too as Dh is asthmatic and it just scares me when I hare these silences and laboured breathing plus he always seems to breath through his mouth.