Snoring in babies can be caused by allergies, reflux and enlarged adenoids, for example, resulting in a narrowing of the airways and difficulty in passing air through the nose and airways, causing snoring.
It is not normal for the baby to make any noise when breathing when awake or sleeping or to snore, and therefore, it is recommended to take the baby to the pediatrician whenever the baby snores, when the snoring is strong and constant, or accompanied by other symptoms such as fever or difficulty eating, for example.
Therefore, the doctor must carry out a complete assessment of the baby to identify the cause of the snoring and thus recommend the most appropriate treatment, if necessary.
Main causes of baby snoring
Baby snoring can be indicative of several disease problems, such as:
- Flu or coldwhich can lead to an inflamed throat and a blocked or runny nose, and make breathing difficult;
- Enlargement of tonsils and adenoidswhich are a type of spongy flesh that are located inside the nose;
- Allergic rhinitisit is important to identify the cause of the allergy and eliminate it;
- Gastroesophageal reflux, which may occur due to gastrointestinal immaturity. See what the symptoms are and how gastroesophageal reflux in babies is treated;
- Laryngomalaciawhich is a congenital disease that affects the larynx and leads to obstruction of the airways during inspiration, causing the baby to breathe through the mouth and, consequently, snore;
- Deviated septumwhich is when the wall that separates the nostrils is altered, interfering with breathing, and may be present from birth;
- Throat infectionscaused by viruses or bacteria.
Sleep apnea can also cause the baby to snore and is characterized by the momentary cessation of breathing while the baby is sleeping, which results in a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the blood and brain, which can lead to serious complications if left untreated. Learn more about sleep apnea in babies.
What to do
If the baby snores constantly, even if he or she does not have the flu or a cold, it is important that parents take the baby to the pediatrician so that the cause of the baby’s snoring can be checked and the most appropriate treatment can be started. It is not always possible to identify the exact cause of snoring, but it should still be investigated.
The pediatrician may request tests that may indicate what may be making it difficult for the baby to breathe through the nose without any sound being emitted, thus indicating the necessary treatment.
Possible complications
Snoring causes the baby to use more energy, as they have to exert more force to breathe, which can lead to feeding difficulties. In this way, the baby may lose weight or not gain enough weight, in addition to having a delay in the development of the nervous system and motor coordination.
When breathing through the mouth, the baby may have more discomfort and pain in the throat, as well as greater ease in developing throat infections.
Furthermore, when the baby breathes through the mouth, the lips are half-open and the teeth are exposed, which can cause long-term changes in the structure of the bones in the mouth, which causes the face to become more elongated and the teeth to be poorly positioned.
Bibliography
- XU, Z.; et al. Risk factors of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in children. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 49. 1; 11, 2020
- DESCHAMP, A.; DAFTARY, A. A Newborn Infant With Oxygen Desaturation During Sleep. Chest. 151. 1; e17-e20, 2017
- URSCHITZ, M. S.; et al. Snoring in children. Algorithm for diagnostic approach. HNO. 62. 8; 586-9, 2014
- CHAWLA, J.; WATERS, K. A. Snoring in children. J Paediatr Child Health. 51. 9; 847-50, 2015
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