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Though it has been known for some time that children who have sleep apnea often produce low scores on IQ tests (typically scoring about 85 against a score of 101 for children without sleep apnea) what we have not known until recently is that this results from chemical changes taking place in the brain. This means that a normally ’smart’ kid might well turn in a run of the mill performance as a result of nothing more than a sleep disorder which can be quite easily treated in the majority of instances.

In a study which was conducted at the Hopkin’s Children’s Centre in Baltimore 31 children between the ages of 6 and 16 (19 of whom suffered from severe sleep apnea) were examined with a form or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and it was found that the children suffering from sleep apnea displayed considerable alterations in both the right frontal cortex and hippocampus - two sections of the human brain which are associated with learning and higher mental function. This same study also discovered that these children had altered levels of three chemicals in the brain that is indicative of brain damage.

This change in the chemistry of the brain brought about by sleep apnea could or could not be permanent and additional studies will be required to see whether or not this affect can be reversed. But, even if this problem can be reversed and the cognitive function and brain chemistry can be normalized, children with sleep apnea are going to continue to have a loss in learning as long as they are suffering from sleep apnea which is left untreated and they will certainly not be able to wind back the clock and recover this learning period.

Naturally parents should already be looking for signs of sleep apnea in their children however this latest study shows that an early diagnosis and treatment of this sleep disorder could have a very large affect on a child’s life.

The indicators of sleep apnea may include frequent pauses in breathing while sleeping which often produce an arousal from sleep and tossing and turning. Children might also show loud or labored breathing, snoring, coughing, gasping and, sometimes, bedwetting at an age when this phase should normally have passed. Parents could additionally notice a child sleeping in an unusual position, possibly with their bottom sticking up in the air and their head slanted backwards in an unwitting attempt to force their airway open.

In nearly all instances childhood sleep apnea can be treated by the surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids or of excess tissue from the back of the throat or nose. In addition, a CPAP (continuous positive airways pressure) machine may also be recommended to provide a child with a flow of air which is delivered through a mask worn while sleeping to maintain an open airway.

Sleep apnea is in itself debilitating for any child and the affects of a lengthy period of restless sleep will take its toll on your child. However, when you combine this with a reduction in a child’s IQ, it is crucial that you act at the earliest possible opportunity to see that this problem is diagnosed and then treated.

Although it has been known for a long time that children who have sleep apnea frequently display relatively low scores on IQ tests (normally producing an average of 85 against a score of 101 for children who are not suffering from sleep apnea) one thing that we have not known until quite recently is that this arises out of chemical changes in the brain. In other words an otherwise intelligent child may well turn in a run of the mill performance as a result of nothing more than a sleep disorder that, in almost all cases, can be treated quite easily.

In a study undertaken at the Hopkin’s Children’s Centre in Baltimore, 31 kids aged between 6 and 16 (19 of whom had severe sleep apnea) were examined with a special form or magnetic resonance imager (MRI) and it was noted that those children suffering from sleep apnea showed major changes in the right frontal cortex and hippocampus which are parts of the brain which are linked to higher mental function and learning.

This same study also discovered that these children were suffering from altered levels of three brain chemicals which were indicative of brain damage. This alteration of the brain chemistry brought about by sleep apnea may or may not be permanent and, at this point, additional studies are required to see whether this effect can be reversed.

Even if reversal is possible however and the brain chemistry and cognitive function can be normalized, children with sleep apnea will suffer a loss in learning as long as they have untreated sleep apnea and will certainly not be able to wind back time and regain this learning period.

Parents should of course already be looking out for signs of sleep apnea in their children but this study clearly demonstrates that early diagnosis and treatment of this sleeping problem could have a considerable affect on a child’s success in later life.

There are several signs of sleep apnea including numerous pauses in breathing during sleep which often result in an arousal from sleep and tossing and turning in bed. Kids may also display loud or labored breathing, snoring, gasping, coughing and, on occasions, bedwetting at a time when should usually have passed.

Parents could also observe a child sleeping in an unusual position, perhaps with their bottom sticking up in the air and their head tilted back in an effort to force their airway clear.

In most cases sleep apnea in children can be effectively treated by taking out the adenoids or tonsils, or by removing excess tissue from the nose or the back of the throat. In addition, a continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) machine (or pediatric CPAP) can also be used to give the child a flow of air delivered using a mask which is worn while sleeping to keep the airway open.

In itself child sleep apnea is incapacitating for any kid and the effect of night after night of poor sleep will take their toll on your child. But, when this is combined with an impairment of your child’s IQ, it becomes essential that you act at the earliest possible opportunity to have this condition diagnosed and treated.