Recent news announced that a link has been found between kids with ADD (Attention Deficit Syndrome) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Syndrome) and snoring. This is not new news, or rather, it is old news looked at from a new angle.
Some time ago, researchers discovered that many children that had been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD were actually suffering from sleep deprivation caused by sleep apnea. Snoring is closely related to sleep apnea, but beyond that, snoring disrupts sleep and does cause sleep deprivation.
Snoring, the article reminds us, can be a sign of an underlying medical condition - sleep-disordered breathing. And, again, sleep-disordered breathing causes sleep deprivation.
Three core symptoms of ADD/ADHD:
Inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity.When you are sleep deprived, you also suffer from an inability to pay attention. It's difficult to concentrate when you are sleepy. Even something like watching your favorite show on TV becomes a difficult task because your mind wanders.
When you are sleep deprived you are impulsive. You do things without thinking them through. You are unable to focus long enough to realize what the results of your actions may be.
Lack of sleep causes hyperactivity. Anyone who has had to deal with an over-tired child is familiar with this. There's just no way to get the child to settle down. He's 'on the edge," near hysteria and can't seem to wind down.
Make sure your children are getting adequate sleep. If they still suffer from any of the above symptoms, or from excessive daytime sleepiness, have them tested. Remember, there are other disorders that produce the same type of symptoms.
