Childhood Snoring is a common sleep disorder in children aged 1-10 years old. The characteristics of childhood snoring are different from adults. It is often manifested as snoring, night sweats, easy awakening, bedwetting, chronic nasal congestion, mouth breathing, upper airway obstruction, and accompanying hypoxemia. Snoring in children has a serious impact on their growth and development, but it is a mild condition.
Sometimes we may hear children snoring while sleeping, and parents often think that the child is tired from the day or in a comfortable position. So they usually just adjust the child's posture and ignore it. However, as time goes by, the child's snoring becomes more stuffy and urgent, requiring parents' attention.
From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine treatment, it is advisable to use the treatment principles of warming the lungs and invigorating the spleen, and also to use acupressure massage techniques, including:
1. Yingxiang acupoint, located 0.5 inch (half the width of a thumb) from the outer edge of the nostril in the nasolabial groove. Use fingertip pressure massage, stimulate in a clockwise direction on the right side and counterclockwise on the left side, for about 1-2 minutes each time, 3-5 times a day, to tonify lung qi.
2. Zanzhu acupoint (located on the inner edge of the eyebrow groove), massage down to the outer side of the nose, and repeat the motion on the upper and lower sides of the nostrils for 1-2 minutes each time, 3-5 times a day.
3. Massage the palm around the navel (Shenque acupoint) in a clockwise direction to aid digestion.
Children with adenoid hypertrophy have the following characteristics: weak resistance, prone to colds, recurrent colds easily induce rhinitis, chronic inflammation affects breathing, and severe cases can lead to adenoid hypertrophy. The signal is that the child snores while sleeping, and the sound becomes louder. Second, the digestive function of the spleen and stomach is poor, often experiencing food stagnation, thick and greasy tongue coating, internal heat, and dry stools. Third, they previously suffered from rhinitis. When taking care of children, parents should avoid giving them puffed snacks, spicy and irritating foods, and chilled foods. They should try to prevent colds and treat them promptly if they do get a cold.
Prevention
1. Control the child's weight. Sleep medicine experts point out that weight loss is the most effective treatment. Studies have shown that as long as the weight is reduced by 3-5 kilograms, snoring can be effectively controlled.
2. Encourage the child to sleep on their side. Sleeping on the back increases the frequency of snoring, so it is best to sleep on the side. When sleeping on the back, the tongue is more likely to slide to the back, blocking the throat. Also, pay attention to not having the child's pillow too low, as this can cause the jaw to lift up and lead to mouth breathing and snoring.
3. Avoid taking sedatives before bedtime. Sedatives can cause muscle relaxation, making snoring worse.
4. Train the child to take deep breaths regularly. This can keep the nasal passage clear and reduce snoring.
5. Encourage the child to smile often. Smiling frequently helps stretch the muscles of the tongue and can reduce snoring.
6. Have the child sing songs during leisure time. Studies have shown that singing can improve snoring because it exercises the muscles near the vocal cords and makes the relaxed muscles more elastic.
