Although it has been known for a long time now that children who have sleep apnea frequently display poor scores on IQ tests (typically scoring an average of 85 against a score of 101 for children who are not suffering from sleep apnea) one thing which has not been known until very recently is that this is produced by chemical changes within the brain. This means that an otherwise clever kid could well produce a mediocre performance as a result of nothing more than a sleeping problem which, in almost all cases, can be treated quite easily.

In a recent study carried out at the Hopkin’s Children’s Centre in Baltimore, 31 children between the ages of 6 and 16 (19 of whom had been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea) were examined with a special type or magnetic resonance imager (MRI) and it was discovered that those children with sleep apnea showed significant changes in the hippocampus and right frontal cortex which are parts of the brain which are associated with learning and higher mental function.

This same study also discovered that these kids were suffering from altered levels of three brain chemicals which indicated brain damage. This change to the chemistry of the brain resulting from the presence of sleep apnea may or may not be lasting and, at this point, further studies are required to see whether or not this effect can be reversed.

Even if reversal is possible however and the brain chemistry and cognitive function can be normalized, kids who have sleep apnea are going to suffer learning problems as long as they have untreated sleep apnea and certainly cannot rewind time and recapture this period of learning.

Of course, parents should already be looking out for signs of sleep apnea in their children but this study clearly indicates that an early diagnosis and treatment of this sleep problem might have a considerable affect on your child’s success in later life.

The signs of sleep apnea include numerous pauses in breathing during sleep that often result in an arousal from sleep and tossing and turning in bed. Children might also display loud or labored breathing, snoring, gasping, coughing and, sometimes, bed wetting at an age when should generally have passed.

Parents can also see that a child is sleeping in an unusual position, perhaps with their bottom sticking up in the air and with their head tilted back in an effort to keep their airway clear.

In the majority of cases child sleep apnea can be effectively treated by removing the tonsils and adenoids, or excess tissue from the nose or the back of the throat. Additionally, a CPAP machine (or pediatric CPAP) may also be used to give the child an airflow delivered using a mask worn during sleep to keep the airway open.

In itself child sleep apnea is incapacitating for any child and the effect of night after night of poor quality sleep will take their toll on your child. However, when this is combined with an impairment of your child’s IQ, it is imperative that you act as soon as you can to get this condition diagnosed and treated.

Anyone that suspects they have the condition should familiarize themselves with the symptoms of sleep apnea. This condition is not something that is just annoying but is dangerous and can also be downright deadly. Some have unfortunately died from the cessation of breathing during the night, so of course realizing if you have this condition and getting it treated properly is vitally important. So let’s look at some common symptoms of sleep apnea and remember, you might not be able to recognize these symptoms in yourself but may need to ask your bedmate or another family member if they notice them when you sleep.

Your breathing and the sounds you make during sleep are common symptoms of sleep apnea. When your body stops breathing temporarily during the night of course it works very hard to get itself breathing again and this might mean sounds like choking, gasping, snorting, or wheezing. Many people think that these sounds are just common or harmless snoring but these noises, especially when loud or severe, are common symptoms of sleep apnea. The body gasps when it starts breathing after being denied oxygen or someone wheezes when that oxygen gets cut off. These are not good sounds for anyone and should be taken very seriously.

Sleep apnea interferes with a person’s sleep whether they’re aware of it or not. The way you feel during the day can also be common symptoms of sleep apnea. You might think you’ve gotten a good night’s sleep but if you’re fatigued when you wake up, have headaches throughout the day, get daytime sleepiness, or just generally don’t feel rested all of these can be symptoms of sleep apnea. It’s important that a person get several hours of uninterrupted sleep in order to be really refreshed and recharged but sleep apnea of course interferes with consistent rest. Again, a person isn’t typically aware of the fact that he or she has sleep apnea and is waking up during the night so these daytime symptoms should be considered.

Any and all of these symptoms of sleep apnea should be taken seriously. A doctor can refer you to a sleep clinic, but most cases of sleep apnea are caused by excess body weight. If you’re several pounds overweight you might want to consider doing what you can to lose this weight and see if perhaps these symptoms of sleep apnea don’t clear up.