Sierra Studio - Inadequate Sleep

Inadequate sleep can make a child or an adult moody, more impulsive and less able to concentrate. Sleep deprivation makes learning difficult. Chronic poor sleep results in irritability, frustration, difficulties with focused attention and difficulty controlling impulses and emotions.

The common obstructive sleep apnea symptom list is very similar to symptoms that can earn the child or adult an Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD diagnosis. Sleep laboratory research shows that some - and possibly a great many - people are mislabeled with Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD when the real problem is chronic sleep deprivation caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

OSA happens when the airway closes and breathing stops, and the patient wakes up to open the airway. Once normal breathing is restored, the person falls asleep only to repeat the cycle throughout the night. Though the person may not even be aware of these repeated awakenings during the night, the brief arousals prevent the person from reaching the deep stages of sleep needed for restore and replenish the body.

Doctors believe that at least 3 percent of children have sleep apnea. While the lack of sleep makes adults lethargic, it often has the opposite affect on a child, as any parent of an overtired toddler can attest. Tired children become wired with short attention spans and even shorter fuses.

Snoring, lack of concentration, forgetfulness, irritability, anxiety, depression, morning headaches, decreased academic performance, oppositional behavior, restlessness and excessive daytime sleepiness are common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. 

Call(403) 297-9606 now for a sleep apnea assessment
and get the restorative sleep necessary for health and happiness!

Sierra Studio - ADHD/ ADD Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder

More and more there are studies which are beginning to show a correlation between sleep apnea and attention deficit disorder (ADD). Some experts believe that most people who suffer from sleep apnea also exhibit ADD. Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is characterized by an inability to concentrate in social situations like school, behavior problems, mood swings, and lower performance in daily tasks such as school work, chores, or other situations where focus and concentration are essential. While usually diagnosed in childhood, later in life adults are also identified as suffering from the disease.

Many daytime attention, and behavioral problems are a result of poor sleep patterns. Snoring, often combined with sleep apnea (gasping for breath or stopping breathing for a few seconds) is a common cause of a lack of adequate sleep. Snoring can cause a decrease in oxygen during the night resulting in tired restless children in the morning. A thorough assessment by a dentist trained in airways analysis can help determine if tonsils, adenoids or an overbite (set back lower jaw) may be contributing to the behavior problems. It is estimated that over 50% of the children taking ADD medications could be treated by alternative means with no medication required. Dark circles under the eyes, restless sleep, bed wetting, and night mares are other common symptoms of sleep apnea which can be diagnosed and treated by trained dentists.

Children who are sleep deprived may often be misdiagnosed as having ADD, since these deficits can lead to behavioral problems and lowered daytime performance accompanied by mood disorders. When those suffering from chronic sleep disorders were tested, researchers reported lower scores in areas like vocabulary tests, school work, and showed a decrease in their ability to concentrate. Researchers have also hypothesized that continued sleep deprivation in infants and children could well lead to delayed development resulting in lower IQ scores.

The standard treatment protocol for Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD - high powered amphetamines like Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta will awake up the groggy child or adult but can make problems worse since these medications often interrupt normal sleep patterns.

Call (403) 297-9606 now for a sleep apnea assessment
and get the restorative sleep necessary for health and happiness!

Sierra Studio - Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is characterized by a series of brief but numerous involuntary breathing pauses which occur during sleep. In obstructive sleep apnea, air passage is blocked during sleep by the person's tongue and other soft tissues. Many people with sleep apnea are snorers. As soft tissues block the airway, the body has to work harder to pull air in, and the increase in pressure can make the upper airway collapse so air cannot flow at all into the lungs, although the body's efforts to breathe continue.

Breathing stops for a period of several seconds to well over a minute, and the levels of oxygen in the blood may drop during these episodes. When a person's blood oxygen levels fall too low, the brain wakes the person up enough to tighten the muscles around the upper airways to open them enough for air to flow through again. This arousal is so brief that the person is likely to not even remember it. The repeated arousals of these breathing pauses lead to awakenings is their bodies try to breathe, People with sleep apnea find it impossible to enjoy a night of deep, restorative sleep. Sufferers often feel sleepy during the day and their concentration and daytime performance usually suffer significantly.

Call (403) 297-9606 now for a sleep apnea assessment
and get the restorative sleep necessary for health and happiness!

Sierra Studio - Other Consequences

Are you searching for a treatment for your child who suffers from chronic bed-wetting and/or ear infections? You should know your Sierra dentist may play a role in finding a solution to these ailments! Bed-wetting is the most common urological disorder among school-aged children, and 10 to 15 million North American children regularly suffer from ear infections. When traditional medicine does not offer a cure, these medical issues are often left unresolved. Now, new research confirms a direct connection between chronic conditions such as bed-wetting and ear infections and the size and position of the jawbone.

With new technology other treatment options now exist. Breakthrough dental procedures, which involve using orthodontics to widen the jaw and airway or re-align the jaw among children who suffer from either or both conditions, have been shown to reduce the occurrence or cure the problem completely. Parents of children who suffer from either of these conditions should consider orthodontic treatment as opposed to traditional medication or ear tubes. Other  less severe indicators that may be hints that your child is not getting the sleep they need are dark circles under the eyes, restless sleep, bed wetting, and night mares.

Call (403) 297-9606 now for a sleep apnea assessment
and get the restorative sleep necessary for health and happiness!