Does the child snore because he is sleeping soundly? What is the reason for the child snoring?

Sometimes children snore, and parents just think that their children are sleeping soundly. So, is the reason why children snore is because they are sleeping soundly?

What causes baby snoring?

1. Sleeping posture problem: If the baby often sleeps on his back, it is easy to cause the root of the tongue to fall back, resulting in narrowing of the pharynx and causing snoring.

Suggestion: The main sleeping position is side-lying. Compared with supine position, side-lying can reduce the tongue root from falling back and relieve snoring symptoms. Mothers can sew a soft elastic ball on the back of the baby's pajamas to help control the sleeping position and reduce the chance of supine sleeping. In addition, babies who snore are generally more sensitive to environmental stimulation, so it is necessary to create a good sleeping environment and avoid external stimulation.

2. The height of the pillow: If the pillow is not at the right height, it will also cause the neck to bend too much, leading to airway obstruction.

Suggestion: Babies at 3 months old start to learn to lift their heads, and their spines begin to naturally bend forward. At the same time, as their bodies develop, their shoulders gradually become wider. In order to ensure a proper sleeping position, babies can start using pillows after 3 months. The height is generally 4 cm. As they grow older, gradually increase the height of the pillow.

3. Disease. Adenoids and tonsils develop very quickly in early childhood. Adenoids and tonsils hypertrophy are diseases unique to childhood. When the temperature changes, malnutrition, decreased resistance or upper respiratory tract infection occurs, the inflammation affects the tonsils and adenoids and causes further swelling, blocking the posterior nasal cavity and oropharynx, resulting in airway obstruction and causing snoring.

Recommendation: Generally speaking, if snoring is clearly caused by enlarged tonsils or adenoids, resection is the main treatment method.

4. Swallowing. If the baby does not swallow completely while feeding or the mother puts the baby down immediately after feeding and lets him sleep, the milk in the baby's mouth may accumulate and block the throat, causing snoring.

Suggestion: After feeding, you can pat the baby's back to promote swallowing, and then feed some water to avoid milk lumps in the mouth. If the baby has nasal congestion, you can use a nasal spray containing saline.

5. Obesity. The baby's oropharyngeal fat pad thickens. Due to gravity, the space behind the larynx and tongue becomes narrower during sleep. The accumulation of fat pads aggravates the narrowing of the airway space and easily causes snoring.

Suggestion: Obesity not only easily causes snoring, but also increases the burden on the heart and affects the development of genitals. Studies have shown that if obese children can lose weight to a standard weight, they can improve the state of hypoxia during sleep and reduce the occurrence of sleep apnea.

What to do if your child snores

1. Change sleeping posture. Sometimes children snore simply because of bad sleeping posture, so the tongue hangs back too much and blocks the breathing passage. Solution: Try to let the baby sleep with the head on the side. Try to sleep with the head on the side or on the stomach (that is, one side of the face is against the bed, but do not cover the mouth and nose). This posture can prevent the tongue from hanging back too much and blocking the breathing passage, which may reduce the degree of snoring.

2. Milk clots in infants. Some newborn babies sometimes snore. This is due to swallowing. Some infants have milk clots in their throats, which not only makes it difficult for the infant to breastfeed, but also makes the airway blocked, causing the infant to snore while sleeping.

After feeding the baby, the mother should not put the baby down to sleep immediately, but pick him up and pat his back gently to prevent the baby from snoring due to milk clots. If the milk clots are serious and have affected feeding, just drop 1 to 2 drops of saline into the nasal cavity to dilute the milk clots.

3. Help your baby clean up nasal secretions such as mucus in time to keep the nose relatively unobstructed.

4. Detailed physical examination: Ask your pediatrician to carefully check the nasal cavity, throat, jaw bone for abnormalities or tumors, or any abnormalities in the baby's nerve or muscle function.

5. Obese babies can lose weight. If the baby who snores is obese, you should first find a way to lose weight, so that the soft flesh in the oropharynx becomes thinner and the diameter of the breathing tube becomes wider; a thinner body can reduce oxygen consumption and breathing will become smoother.

6. Help your baby strengthen his physique and reduce the chance of upper respiratory tract infection, such as letting him bask in the sun and breathe fresh air; or play crawling games to strengthen his body.

7. If the snoring symptoms are severe, consult a doctor in time and cooperate with the treatment. If the adenoids are severely enlarged, surgical treatment can also be chosen.

Foods to treat snoring

1. Soy milk. For people who snore, soy milk is a better choice than milk. This is because milk and other dairy products can form mucus in the respiratory tract, which is one of the root causes of several respiratory diseases. Excessive consumption of milk can also produce phlegm, causing congestion and blockage of the respiratory tract. Some people are allergic to lactose, which causes swelling in the nasal cavity, thus causing snoring.

2. Tea. Tea can help reduce congestion and phlegm, thereby reducing snoring. The boiling water used to make tea releases steam, which can reduce nasal congestion when inhaling. When drinking tea, the water vapor from the leaves can soothe inflamed nasal cavity, thin mucus, and improve nasal drainage. Drinking mint tea is the most effective in preventing snoring, because mint is a natural decongestant that can relieve swelling of the nasal mucosa.

3. Honey. Mix honey with tea and drink it before going to bed. It helps relax the throat and relieve congestion and swelling, thus preventing snoring. Honey also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help relieve congestion in the throat. A study published in the Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2010 showed that honey helps fight infection, soothe inflamed mucous membranes, and promote patency of the throat and upper respiratory tract.

4. Turmeric. Turmeric's anti-inflammatory properties are beneficial in fighting inflammation, especially in preventing and treating snoring. Turmeric's active ingredient (curcumin) is an antioxidant with a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. It has minimal side effects and can safely and naturally relieve congestion. Turmeric is sold at the seasoning counter in the vegetable market and general Chinese medicine stores. It can be boiled in water and drunk directly, and can also be used in cooking and porridge.

5. Fish. Switching from red meat to fish can help you get a good night's sleep without snoring. The saturated fat in red meat can irritate the nasal cavity because it produces a lot of arachidonic acid, which further produces prostaglandins, which can cause swelling of the throat and sinus tissue. In contrast, eating protein from fish and beans does not increase the level of prostaglandins, and the fatty acids in fish help reduce inflammation.

6. Onions. Although onions may give you bad breath, they are a lifesaver for overcoming snoring. Onions have anti-inflammatory properties and help clear the nasal passages, allowing more air to pass through.

How to help your child sleep well

1. Teach your baby to distinguish between day and night

Some babies are born night owls (you may notice frequent nighttime fetal movements during pregnancy) and are very awake and active when you want to sleep. When your baby is 2 weeks old, you can start teaching him to distinguish between day and night. Distinguishing between day and night is the first step in guiding a routine, and it is also a prerequisite for parents to sleep well at night.

Play and communicate with your baby more during the day when he is awake. Keep the room bright. Don't worry about the ringing of the phone, the dishwasher, music, etc. If your baby falls asleep while feeding, try to wake him up. At night, don't play with your baby when he wakes up, don't talk to him too much, keep the lights dim and the voice soft. Gradually, he will understand that night is the time to sleep.

2. Watch for signs of fatigue

If your baby rubs his eyes, pulls his ears, yawns, or becomes irritable, he may be sleepy and needs to be taken to bed. It is best to take him to bed when he is sleepy but not too tired. You will gradually find that you have a "sixth sense" about your baby's daily routine and can intuitively judge when he needs to go to bed.

When Nian Gao was little, I would pay special attention to this signal. After feeding and playing with him for a while, the child would change from a happy and cheerful state to quiet, slightly irritable, rubbing his eyes, and yawning. It would take more than an hour. At this time, I would pick him up, stop playing with him, walk around the room, and let him calm down. When he started crying, I would take him to the bedroom, put him on the bed, give him a pacifier, pat him, and let him sleep.

Once your baby is older, you can follow a rough schedule, see the next item.

3. Establish a regular schedule and stick to it

Pick a bedtime that works for your family and stick to it. Both adults and children benefit from a regular schedule. Your baby doesn't have to eat at exactly 12:15, but it should be similar every day. If your baby eats, naps, plays, and goes to bed at similar times every day, he'll fall asleep more easily.

Waking up at a similar time every morning will help your baby's biological clock become more organized. You can also plan nap times accordingly, such as 9 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m. Or you can put your baby to bed 2 hours after he last woke up to coax him to sleep.