A study, published in the medical journal
Sleep , has said that toddlers who snore are more likely to grow up as hyperactive children compared to those who don’t.
“To our knowledge, this new study is the first long-term, prospective research to show that regular snoring and other clues to the possible presence of sleep apnea predict future development of inattention and hyperactivity. These findings strengthen the hypothesis that untreated sleep-breathing problems in childhood can contribute to the development of hyperactivity,” said study author Ronald Chervin of the University of Michigan Health System Sleep Disorders Laboratory.
Under the study, Dr Chervin and his team made parents of 229 children, between the ages of two to 13 years, fill out questionnaires about their offspring’s sleep habits. A four-year follow-up showed that children who snored were twice more likely to be hyperactive or have attention deficit disorders than those who didn’t. Out of the 229 children, 30 were found to have developed hyperactivity in the four-year period.
“The association is pretty strong, and we are saying it may be causal. The sleep disruption itself may lead to hyperactivity,” Dr Chervin said.
However, the study failed to point out the reasons for the association between snoring and hyperactivity. “One of the reasons could be the oxygen levels during the night are lowered repeatedly, every time the throat closes,” Dr Chervin said, adding that low oxygen inhalation was found to induce behavior modifications in animals and might indicate similar results in humans. He also theorized that lack of sound sleep might be causing hyperactivity.
“Kids may stay awake at any cost, including creating an environment that helps them stay awake at any cost,” the researcher said, adding that removal of tonsils and adenoids might help prevent snoring and hence, sleep disruption.
“Sleep problems in both children and adults are often undiagnosed, even though they can have a major impact on health, behavior and quality of life,” Dr Chervin concluded.
Dr Ann Halbower, director, Pediatric Sleep Disorders Program at Johns Hopkins University Children’s Center, said the research provides new insights into the association between snoring and hyperactivity. She also theorized that there might be a condition that causes both snoring and hyperactivity. Asserting that sleep disorders result in poor academic performance and behavioral problems, Dr Halbower said, “Parents should be aware that snoring is not a good thing.”
