Would you take a child for an ENT for this?

[Tap]

We suspect that dd6 has a sleep disorder. She sleeps about 11 hours a night, is awake for 2 and then takes a nap. On top of that, she is mouth breather at night, and if we ask her to close her mouth while she eats, she says she can't. She is on the spectrum, so she can't always vocalize her issues with clarity. Her sleep study is next week, and that will tell us if her tonsils/adenoids are part of the issue, but I wonder if the just the mouth breathing and eating without closing her mouth are signs that she should be evaluated by an ENT no matter what the sleep study says?

[Made Unfit]

Have you listened to her sleep at night? I was shocked when my then-7-year-old dd slept with me one night when she had a tummy bug; her apnoea was shocking. (She's since had her tonsils and adenoids out.) She was tired a lot and couldn't breathe through her nose at all.

 

IOW, I'm glad I went to an ENT. Apparently apnoea can have adverse affects on the cognitive skills of a developing child.

[unsinkable]

We suspect that dd6 has a sleep disorder. She sleeps about 11 hours a night, is awake for 2 and then takes a nap. On top of that, she is mouth breather at night, and if we ask her to close her mouth while she eats, she says she can't. She is on the spectrum, so she can't always vocalize her issues with clarity. Her sleep study is next week, and that will tell us if her tonsils/adenoids are part of the issue, but I wonder if the just the mouth breathing and eating without closing her mouth are signs that she should be evaluated by an ENT no matter what the sleep study says?

 

 

Yes, I'd also go to an ENT.

[Harriet Vane]

Yes, definitely take her to a good pediatric ENT. A pediatric ENT is worth their weight in gold rather than a regular ENT.

[itsheresomewhere]

Look for a childrens sleep center. They should have an ENT on board and all the doctors are generally kept up to date with each patient. If you don't have one, ask around what Pediatric ENT they use.

[East Coast Sue]

I took my oldest dd straight to an ENT when I realized how loudly she snored at night. She did not sleep well and often looked/acted more tired in the morning than in the evening. The ENT did a very brief exam and offered to remove the tonsils and adnoids within a week (my dd had just turned 4 yrs old). I thought for sure she would want a sleep study or some evidence of the snoring/sleep issues, but she said it is so common and troublesome that she wanted them out ASAP. We agreed and it was a huge blessing to get them out! I hope it turns out well for you too.

[Slipper]

My oldest has autism and is non-verbal. She kept her mouth open frequently during the day and night. As a result, the top of her mouth is shaped differently and she had dry mouth. The dry mouth not only caused her breath to frequently be very bad, it also was causing problems with her teeth. My dentist was the one who suggested we go to an ENT. She also snored and when they examined her, she had limited hearing in both ears due to infection (she had never had an infection and this was when she was 12 years old).

 

Short answer, yes. :) Another short answer - stock up on popsicles and applesauce - the recovery isn't a barrel of fun, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. :)

[Tap]

Appointment scheduled. We live in an area with a large teaching/Children's hospital. That is where she is having her sleep study done, so I made the appointment there as well. I did get her in with a pediatric ENT, and scheduled it for a couple weeks after her sleep study so they will have those results as well. Thanks for the advice, I am sure in a few weeks I will be looking for ideas on post surgery care LOL .