Snoring in children a bad sign: doctors

Doctors from Shanghai No.6 People's Hospital believe children who snore can suffer from impacted growth and slow development of the central nervous system.

Poor sleep quality can stunt children's growth and influence brain development, resulting in poor academic performance, doctors said yesterday during activities promoting World Sleep Day which falls on March 21.

They plan to team up with other hospitals to conduct sleeping quality and snoring research for children in Xuhui District.

Snoring may reflect other, more serious conditions like sleep apnea and upper airway resistance syndrome.

Sleep apnea is a serious condition impacting children’s sleep and breathing. Domestic studies have found the condition affects about 24 to 47 percent of children in different regions. The incidence of habitual snoring among these children is 6 to 17 percent.

“We suggest parents take their children to hospital in a timely manner if they detect habitual snoring so they can receive early diagnosis and treatment if necessary,” Dr Su Kaiming from Shanghai No.6 People’s Hospital said.