Do you have any idea what could be causing this...?

Question

My son, whos just turned 3, has been having problems with what I think might be sleep apnea for 2 years. He has trouble breathing out of his nose, at night and during the day. At night, however, it seems like somethng ends up blockng his airway completely and he ends up gasping for air. I have an appointment with an ENT specialist but can you blieve i have to wait two months?! The only thing I'm confused about is why he seems so congested, even during the day. It's almost like allergies but medicine doesn't work and what could he be so allergic to all year long. I've took him to an ENT before and all they said is that his tonsils look fine and they don't know whats causing it. Has anyones child had this sleep apnea, nasal type problem? How can I help him breathe better, especilly when he's sleeping? Please tell me anything, I can't stand worrying if he's going to be alive in the morning anymore! I can't believe these doctors are so stupid and just don't care.

Colleen, I don't have any pets, carpeting, or mold in my home. You ovbiously don't have children or you wouldn't be so ignorent and offensive. I don't expect doctors to come to my home. I expect them to give me the care and services that I pay for!

Colleen, I don't have any pets, carpeting, or mold in my home. You ovbiously don't have children or you wouldn't be so ignorent and offensive. I don't expect doctors to come to my home. I expect them to give me the care and services that I pay for! And I have already tried saline drops.

Answer 1

Please take him to a pediatric ENT, not a general ENT. Also, talk to the doctor about having him "scoped", where the doctor inserts an endocope into the nose and down into the throat. The procedure is often videotaped so the doctor can share the video with you.
Several things may be happening. He may have enlarged adenoids and tonsils that vary in size (which may be why the ENT you took him to may not have seen the tonsillar enlargement). He may have choanal atresia, which is a congenitally reduced space between the back of the nose and the throat. Or, as another writer suggested, he could have tracheomalacia, or even pharyngeal wall collapse.
You may want to try having him sleep on his back with the head of the bed elevated to 30 degrees, which would help both tracheomalacia and pharyngeal wall collapse.

Answer 2

My allergies NEVER go away. They improve at the beach but I still have them. Your son could be suffering from allergies continously. Have they tried decongestants? Does he feel better after a hot shower? Have they checked to see that his nasal passages are actually open? They may be physically blocked. My dad had nose surgery so he could breathe better. I assume you're going to a different ENT than before, since you didn't have any luck and don't seem to like the old one? What the heck do tonsils have to do with being able to breathe? Keep trying doctors til you find one that can help you. For a short term fix (and I mean very short term) and as test to see if he's actually congested, try using Afrin nose spray. This is NOT something you can use everyday, but it will give you an idea if he's congested or if there's a blockage. If he can breathe and sleep while using the Afrin then he's actually congested and might need to be on medication like Sudafed. If he's still really congested then it's probably something else.

Answer 3

He sounds asthmatic. Hopefully your doctor will prescribe some albuterol but that is the only thing I can think of.

They have (for 2 years and older) a breathing machine that will clear the lungs of fluids.

From what "I" think you are saying, what is happening is the fluids are hardening and blocking the nasal passageways. This is more common than you think. That is why the hospital is giving you an appointment so far off. They believe this not to be critical.

However... I would continue to take him to the ER each time your feel necessary. There is nothing wrong with that... what is a co-pay vs. not being sure or having a little piece of mind. Wishing you and your little boy well.

Also... rub a little Vicks on his chest prior to bedtime. That has helped my boy. He even likes it now... because he knows he will breathe better. Just make sure he doesn't get in contact with it. I rub it underneath his PJ top and make sure I wash my hands before I lay him down to sleep.

Answer 4

I am sorry for the rude comments you have received (i.e. Colleen). I have no experience with sleep apnea and I am not sure what to tell, except to hang in there. I am sure you are doing the best you can. My daughter,6, has been suffering from reoccurring ear infections and throat problems. She is going to be referred to an ENT if she has one more, which I'm sure she will. It is difficult as a mother when your child is in pain and you cannot control it. Hang in there and ignore the ignorant people of the world (there has not been a cure for that either) lol!

Answer 5

It sounds like he is having problems with his Adenoids which are around the nasal area as when i was a child i couldnt breathe out of my nose and when i slept i also made weird noises that sounded all blocked up which worried my mother as well but let me tell you if this is the reason,he will sleep fine it just sounds alot worse than what it is and try putting a few pillows under his head to prop him up so this should stop most of the noise as everything will be running downwards as its meant to and youll find things a whole lot better for you and him,also i had my adenoids taken out when i was 5 and they said that i would be able to breathe through my nose now but i have never been able to and i am now 37.Also i still make weird noises when i sleep but not as bad.

Answer 6

Year round allergens are all over. Is there mold in your home? How about carpeting? Some children are allergic to the carpet fibers. Do you have any pets? Children can be allergic to pet dander. Is the air in your home very dry? Maybe a humidifer is needed. Is the air in your home too moist? Maybe a Dehumidifer is needed. Stop blaming the doctors for what is going on in your home. They can't be in your home 24/7 and ENTs are usually booked solid for months. There are afterall OTHER children in the world besides YOUR'S and their parents just happen to call the ENT before you did. You can try the saline recipie for nose drops, it is safe and most peditricians recommend it, you can get it from the link below.

Answer 7

Dont forget to ask about adnoids. They can cause problems. A sleep specialist can help by looking to see if his tounge gets in the way. Sleep apnea knows no age, but dont worry. We will wake up if we cant breathe. It is a human survival trait. You could try those sleep nasal strips that work for snoring. If the problem is not the nose the wont help, but try them just to be safe. They also work for congestion!

Answer 8

i have a toddler who has sleep apnea he was on an actual medical machine till he was 12 months then they took him off of it because they thought he was getting to old for it so i went out and bought a bebe sounds sound and movement monitor that will take away your fears of him not being alive in the morning away trust me i know that feeling get that monitor it will help and the breathing thing my toddler does the same thing i try baby vix at night open up the airways just the baby kind not the adult a humidifier in the bedroom and talk to the doc asap and see if he needs a nebulizer during the day just so it opens the airway during the day too

Answer 9

my daughter had similar symptoms in the first year of her life...i would stay up all night and watch her just to make sure she would be ok...the doctor said it was treachamalcio (spellings not right) and that a part of her traecha wasnt all the way developed and kinda flopped when she would breathe and that she would be ok...he also said that if it didnt get better that they would do surgry. but he said that she wouldnt stop breathing or anything and eventually it went away althou for some babys it doesnt...its worth getting checked out thou

Answer 10

what you need to request to the doctors is a sleep test to check for apnea. insist on it. it is not the greatest experience for your child, but it's worth the results. my daughter would breathe all crazy style when she was a baby so we had her checked. she's fine. i hope your son is too.