Your Toddler's Snoring Could Be a Red Flag for Trouble Ahead

toddler nap
toddler nap

Does your child snore? That snoring may mean something more than ZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Now loud snoring in preschoolers is being tied to behavioral problems like hyperactivity, attention issues, and depression. A study found that 9 percent of 249 two- and three-year-olds were snoring loudly two or more times a week. Those kids were more likely to have behavior issues by the time they were three than the non-snorers.

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Researchers don't know why loud snoring is linked with behavior. It could have something to do with poor quality sleep. But guess what else is a factor? Breastfeeding. Apparently it can help protect against snoring and/or its effects on behavior. Of course, all kids snore from time to time. How do you know what's normal -- and what's a potential danger sign?

Hell if I know! But if you've noticed your kid snoring loudly two nights in a row, maybe it's time to at least start paying attention and taking notes. Will you feel like a crazy person? Maybe, probably. But at least when you take your child to the pediatrician to talk about her snoring, you'll be able to give the doctor some details that will help determine if that snoring is normal or cause for concern.

Bottom line: If you notice it, it's worth bringing up. "If your kids snore, you have to ask more," says Richard M. Kravitz, MD. "Don't sleep on it, act on it," he says. Can I have a beat box for Dr. Kravitz? Let me write you a few more rhymes!

Kid snoozzzzes, we loozzzzes.

When in doubt, give a shout.

Bring your dozer to a doctor not a poser.

Buzzsaw bonanza.

You don't want no classroom dancer.

Devils snore where angels fear to shred.

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I don't really know where I'm going with that last one. Anyway, you get the point. Yes, it's one more thing for parents to worry about. But maybe you can help your child have a better year in preschool.

Are you surprised to hear there's a connection between snoring and behavior?

Image via sunnydaykofax/Flickr



Written by Adriana Velez on CafeMom's blog, The Stir.

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