21 month old snoring horribly

[kimhutcheson]

My 21 month old granddaughter has the following symptoms even after ear tubes in both ears, and adnoid (adenoid) surgery: sinus drainage in am resulting in throwing up.  Snores so loud, no one can sleep, fretful, awakes crying, all throughout night.  Awaking at least 12 times last night.  Nostrils plugged, she even stops breathing at times.  Nasal drip during day, uses steriodal spray, zyrtec, have used everything, yet she is unable to breath and sleep during the night.  During the day I'll ask if she can breathe through nose, as she walks around with mouth gaped open, and she'll close mouth and breathe through nose, but when she lays down, or falls asleep in lap, she cannot breathe, nor sleep.  This has been going on for months, and it is not healthy for any of us.  No one is getting proper sleep. I am doing research as am wondering if she has a deviated spectum, that is aggravated with sinusitis, or rhinitis.  Can you help?  I am making appt for Ears Nose and Throat Dr AGAIN......signed, worried,frustrated,tired,Nana

[Tazmania]

Hi,

Your ENT doctor should order a sleep study. It sounds like she may have an elongated palate and uvula. She might even need a turbinate reduction. It also sounds like she might have a septal deviation. She definitely sounds like she has sleep apnea, which is very dangerous, and needs to be addressed quickly. if her current ENT doctor does not do something quickly, change doctors!!! I work for an ENT doctor and she can be helped. Good luck. keep me posted on her progress.

[kimhutcheson]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!  I made appt yesterday with ENT Dr.I know there's something wrong, and we are leaving in 1 hour to go back to ENT Dr.  I printed this out, and if I don't get any results, I WILL be going to another DR ASAP. Will keep you posted!!!
Sincerely Kim

[kimhutcheson]

Well, Dr appt went well.  Before I could let him know the info you sent, he suggested sending her onto Arkansas Children Hospital (a month away)to see and ENT there, and made appt, also, for sleep study (Jan, but put on cancellation list to bump up asap) ....for the moment, she is put on prednizone, which we are continuing the zyrtec, and then benadryl at night to help.  Last night was yet another restless night, and while sleeping put a puff of nasonex each each nostril.  Around 3 am, we all started to get a little sleep.  whew.....poor baby.

[kimhutcheson]

Update:  I took it upon myself and called ENT at Children's Hospital, told them what was going on, and we have an appt for tomorrow at 12:15!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Will keep you updated

[kimhutcheson]

We went to Childrens Hospital.  Two Dr's said the same thing.  Her tonsils are so swollen (have been large for months) that on a scale of 1 to 4, she is a 4.  We told them that they've shrunk since ENT Dr's visit two days ago. She was prescribed prednizone. What's happening is that when she's up and about, the passage is narrow, (accounting for the gaping mouth and breathing) and when she lays down, the tonsils relax, laying in the back of the throat, thus, cutting off air supply....which accounts to not breathing episodes, the kicking, restlessness, and awakes crying.  She's exhausted and can't breathe, nor is getting quality sleep.  They said that the discription of problems sounds like sleep apnea.  They also believe that she may need reconstructive adnoid (adenoid) surgery, and one of her ear tubes is sitting crooked.  Thus resulting in one ear reading different than the other during the audiology testing they also did today.  We spent 3 hours in there today.  Everyone listened well to what we had to say, and explained everything to us.  She'll need to be hospitalized due to her young age, and only released when she can eat and drink to not be in danger of dehydration. This explains why also that she isn't eating well, and isn't handling different foods....because she can't fit it down her throat, it is painful and blocked.  Being a childrens hospital, we will be staying with her until her release.  She's schedualed for Nov 1st, in the meantime, finishing up her predinoze.  Also, last night was the first night in about a year that this baby didn't require any medicine prior to bedtime and there was NOT any snoring.  She was still a little fretful, waking maybe 5 times, but we actually got some pretty good rest...all of us that is.