Tonsillitis is a common disease in children and adults, characterized by inflammation of the tonsils with symptoms such as sore throat, difficulty swallowing, sometimes accompanied by fever. Overly inflamed tonsils (hypertrophy) can narrow the upper airway, leading to snoring.
Snoring is also a sign of other serious health problems. Adenoiditis (nasopharyngeal warts) narrows the airways and deviate the nasal septum, obstructing airflow, leading to snoring. Diseases such as asthma that cause edema, increased mucus secretion, and obstructed airflow also cause patients to snore.
Sleep apnea syndrome also leads to snoring along with symptoms such as opening your mouth when sleeping, panting, and restless sleep. This is a serious condition that negatively affects children’s health, learning, and behavior.
If your child has tonsillitis but does not have other problems, especially sleep apnea, the doctor may prescribe medication to reduce inflammation and monitor the condition. In case your baby has severe tonsillitis, snoring and sleep apnea syndrome, tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy may be a necessary solution. This helps improve airflow, reducing the risk of apnea and other complications.
To determine the cause of your child’s snoring, you should take your child to a hospital with a respiratory or ENT specialist. The doctor prescribes the child to perform tests and polysomnography to determine whether the child has sleep apnea syndrome or not. Diagnosis of this syndrome in children requires different criteria than in adults. The apnea index decreases from once per hour and each apnea lasting more than 5 seconds is enough for diagnosis.
In addition to medical treatment, you need to pay attention to your child’s sleeping environment, ensuring a well-ventilated space, avoiding allergens, and scientific nutrition and exercise to maintain appropriate weight. Obesity is also a factor that increases the risk of snoring and sleep apnea. Timely examination and treatment helps improve tonsillitis and snoring in children.