Waking up to Sleep Apnea
Like most parents, Lynne Einbinder knows when something is wrong. But she was baffled by changes in her youngest son, William.
“My husband and I were so worried about him,” explains Einbinder. “He’s a really outgoing, fun-loving boy and he was just not himself.”
A cardiologist herself, Einbinder knew he needed help. After screenings from a pediatrician and a psychologist, William went to a sleep specialist. And the answer was right before their eyes.
“I have diagnosed a lot of adults with sleep apnea and if this is something that I didn’t think about in my own child, I can see how so many parents would be mystified.”
Sleep apnea at 10 years old; turns out William is not an unusual case.
“The youngest kid that I have currently is about nine months of age,” says sleep specialist Dr. Jose Colon. He practice is part of Lee Memorial Health System.
Sleep apnea is a growing condition in growing children. It is linked to obesity, enlarged tonsils even a child’s mouth structure. There may be an element of heredity involved too.
“Kids look like parents on the outside. Well guess what? Anatomically they look like us on the inside as well. And if there is a family history of sleep apnea you can see that in the next generation as well,” says Dr. Colon.
Sleep apnea disrupts breathing, and fragmented sleep leads to a host of health problems – including learning and behavioral issues in kids. An overnight sleep study can bring answers.
“There are some things that may change from night to night. And there are some things that are consistent. And the airflow is consistent.”
William now uses a CPAP mask – like his dad – who also has apnea.
“Within a few days, honestly, we saw a major improvement in terms of him being more alert,” says Einbinder.
No more lost sleep, now that the family woke up to sleep apnea.
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Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.
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