{"id":5004,"date":"2026-07-17T15:43:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T07:43:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drannabelle.com\/blog\/?p=5004"},"modified":"2026-07-17T15:45:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T07:45:39","slug":"snoring-and-mouth-breathing-when-to-worry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drannabelle.com\/blog\/snoring-and-mouth-breathing-when-to-worry\/","title":{"rendered":"Snoring and Mouth-breathing: When to Worry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Snoring<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Is Your Child Snoring and Mouth-breathing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have you peeked into your child’s bedroom to check on them? Did you hear them snoring & mouth-breathing? If they are snoring and mouth-breathing<\/a> nearly every night, this is abnormal and unhealthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When should you be concerned about your child’s snoring? Snoring may be a sign of sleep apnea in children which can range from mild to severe airway obstruction. Sleep apnea is a health condition which causes the airway to become blocked during sleep. In the young child, the top 3 suspects are nasal allergies, enlarged tonsils and adenoids.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is your Child Snoring and Mouth-breathing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If your child snores sometimes, then that’s probably fine. But if your child keeps snoring and mouth-breathing nearly every night when asleep, then that’s not a good sign that they are breathing clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lying flat on their backs is the worst position for a snoring person, child or adult. The airway muscles relax and close off the airflow, leading to a dip in the blood oxygen levels when asleep. These abnormal breathing events may recur many times during sleep and last as long as up to 2 minutes! Of course, if you fall ill with the flu, then things worsen with more nasal congestion and trapped mucus inside your airway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do the Tonsils and Adenoids Shrink Naturally?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The tonsils and adenoids play an important role in fighting infection in the young child, usually under age 5. But guess what? The tonsils and adenoids should get smaller on their own from the age of 5 to 8. So they should shrink naturally as the child grows older but this doesn’t always happen! We still see quite a few older children, teenagers and adults coming to see us with the same breathing problem they had as a young child! Their snoring & mouth-breathing just didn’t improve with time, despite waiting many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to sort out your snoring and mouth-breathing child before they either stop growing or hit they growth spurt!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Should I Worry about Snoring and Mouth-breathing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You may not even be aware that your child is snoring and mouth-breathing! Your child may sleep in a separate room from you. So sometimes, you only notice the snoring child when you go on holiday together!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snoring may be a sign of underlying obstructive sleep apnea in children and adults. However, the child with sleep apnea may present differently from the adult with the same problem. It’s not just about poor quality sleep in your child but also the daytime repercussions of behavioural changes, low energy levels, and even their academic performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your 7 year old child is still having to take an afternoon nap daily, then this is unusual. It means that he or she isn’t sleeping well at night. With the snoring & mouth-breathing, suspect sleep apnea in children!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Danger Signs to Watch Out for in your Snoring and Mouth-breathing Child:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n