The above video is the story of a mother and her difficult journey in getting treatment for her son who had debilitating behavioral issues.
ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a term that unfortunately most people in our society are all too familiar with. It sadly might even be considered “normal” to some degree today simply because of the frequency with which it is diagnosed in children in our modern society. We need to clearly understand that although it is common today, it is far from normal. Putting these children on stimulant medication is not a fix but is a very poor bandaid, only treating the symptoms rather than the underlying cause of the behavior.
The answer to the root cause of ADD / ADHD is found in the childrens sleep, or in this case poor sleep. Connor was diagnosed with sleep apnea which is where the airway actually closes for 10 seconds or more, but there are many kids who do not have “apnea” but have enough disturbance in their breathing while sleeping that they have the same poor sleep that Connor had. If your child kicks their legs and seems restless during sleep, these are just some of the indications of disturbed breathing during sleep.
All kids respond differently to nocturnal airway disturbances. Some experience ADHD, some do not. But all children with this sleep disordered breathing will have their growth and development negatively affected in one or more ways. From crooked teeth, to stooped over posture, to improper brain development, the effects can be profound on the childs development.
The reason why the ultimate treatment for Connor’s sleep breathing disorder was with a dentist is because functional orthodontics which affects bone orthopedics are what corrects the shape and volume of the airway. Notice that I said nothing about straightening teeth. That is because traditional orthodontics focuses on straightening the teeth within the bone that is there, and does not typically have a profound effect on sleep breathing. Functional orthodontics actually remodels the bone to a more ideal form that should have been expressed initially, and the teeth are then easier to straighten.
If you suspect that your child has issues breathing when they sleep that are affecting their development and well being, I strongly encourage you to get them to an airway trained dentist for an evaluation. If you are in the crossroads area, you can call our Victoria, TX dental office at 361-573-7722.
