4 year old daughter with Apnea?

[T111racy]

My 4 year old daughter had a sleep study done 2 nights ago. I havent heard from dr yet and am very nervous. The sleep tech said that my daughter did stop breathing during the night from 10-12 sec. sometimes longer. she also told me that her oxygen level went down to 94%. Is this normal sleep? Now I can't sleep because I am watching my child all night. She grinds her teeth and moves her legs alot. Sometimes I have to stimulate her breathing by touching her during the night. Please tell me how worried I should be about this. Thanks

[National Jewish]

It is understandable that you are very nervous waiting to hear from the doctor about the results of your daughter’s sleep study.  Sleep apnea is when breathing stops for 10 seconds or more while sleeping.  Each time this happens it is an episode of apnea.  As part of a sleep study the number of episodes of apnea are noted each hour using the terms apnea hypoxic index (AHI) or respiratory disturbance index (RDI).  It is normal to have an AHI or RDI of 5 or less.  Mild sleep apnea is considered an AHI or RDI of 6 to 15.  Moderate sleep apnea is considered an AHI or RDI of 16 to 30.  During an episode of apnea people wake themselves up gasping for air or their oxygen level drops.  Your daughter’s oxygen level of 94% is a good level during sleep.

As part of normal development 4-year-olds grind their teeth in preparation for losing their baby or primary teeth.  Some children do move a fair amount during sleep.  I hope that with this information you no longer feel the need to watch your daughter all night long so you are able to sleep.  Of course you will need to talk with the doctor to know what the sleep study results mean for your daughter.

[kazzaz]

Two of my children at the ages of 2 and 3 had to have their tonsils removed because of sleep apnea.

Tonsils were very enlarged and swollen obstructing airflow. They would stop breathing sometimes for about 30 seconds at a time.

How are her tonsils?

[T111racy]

Had her tonsils and adnoids checked and they were both normal size.. on a scale of 1 to 4 her tonsils were a 2 1/2 adnoids looked normal.. I heard the only 2 reasons for sleep apnea were enlarged tonsils or adnoids or neurological..any info would help

[T111racy]

Had her tonsils and adnoids checked and they were both normal size.. on a scale of 1 to 4 her tonsils were a 2 1/2 adnoids looked normal.. I heard the only 2 reasons for sleep apnea were enlarged tonsils or adnoids or neurological..any info would help