If I had sleep apnea when I was a baby, Can It come back??

Question

Im 23 now and feel like it may be coming back. , Does it really ever go away??

Answer 1

Sorry, it's not Chicken Pox.

If it's Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), it's a physical blockage of the throat when you inhale while you are asleep and the muscles in the throat have relaxed. If it's Central Sleep Apnea (CSA), it's caused by the brain not sending the need to breath command. I'm not very fanmilliar with CSA but I suffer from serious OSA. OSA can be from weight, excess skin in the throat, muscles losing their tone, etc. This kind can return if there has been a trauma, weight gain, and change in lifestyle such as becoming more sedentary.

If you had it as a child, see your doctor, he will be the one to best decide if you should have a sleep study done. If you want to know more, pick-up a copy of Sleep Disorders for Dummies, it's a very balanced book.

Answer 2

It depends on the person. If the physical condition that causes the breathing problem can be sucessfully treated; I think some people recover completely while others don't. Sometimes it's a matter of having adenoids removed surgically. Another person might have to lose weight.

Talk to a doctor and see about getting tested if you are concerned.

I work for a mental health agency, we have a lot of clients with sleep apnea.

Answer 3

Yes, sleep apnea can actually go away, but it can also return. If CPAP was your treatment of choice and you stopped using it, or if you gained weight, it could return. I've also treated patients who have had the surgery then found that the apnea returned. Each person is different. The only surefire way to know if yours has returned is to have another sleep study done.