Childhood Snoring and Depression: Is There a Link?

Does your child snore at night? If so, you may want to take it seriously. A new study shows that a pre-school aged child who snores at night may be at higher risk for childhood depression as well as other mood related disorders.

In this study which was published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, researchers looked at a total of eight-nine pre-school children, some of whom snored at night and others who didn’t.  After determining whether each child snored by questioning the parents, the children were given standardized tests to determine any developmental, intellectual, or behavioral problems. The test results showed that the children who snored were more likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety than those who didn’t. They were also more likely to have other sleep related problems.

When a child snores at night it can signal other health problems, particularly sleep apnea which is often due to enlarged tonsils in children. The lack of sleep created by the sleep apnea can also give rise to mood problems such as depression and anxiety. A Johns Hopkins study showed another reason to be concerned about stop childhood snoring. Sleep apnea in children has been associated with damage to certain portions of the brain associated with learning which can cause a reduction in I.Q. if left untreated. For this reason a child who snores at night should always be evaluated by his or her pediatrician. Sometimes something as simple as seasonal allergies or environmental allergies can cause snoring in a child. In terms of snoring and the risk of depression and anxiety, researchers are hoping that snoring may serve as an early sign that a child is experiencing mood problems so that steps can be taken to correct them before the child faces the challenges of entering school.

If your child snores at night what should you do? It would be a good idea to keep a record for a few weeks of how often your child snores. This will be helpful to your child’s doctor when trying to determine the cause. You should also make your doctor aware of any other sleep disturbances your child is experiencing such as nightmares or unwillingness to go to bed at night. Any signs that your child is experiencing anxiety or depression should also be brought to the attention of your child’s pediatrician.

The bottom line? If your child snores at night, it shouldn’t be ignored. It can be a sign of a physical problem or a sign of a mood disorder that needs to be corrected before it becomes more serious.