SDB in a child is the interruption of breathing impacting a child’s ability to receive the appropriate amount of oxygen and preventing the ability for a child to obtain REM sleep, which is essential for proper fraction of the brain, endocrine and immune system. It does not matter how much sleep a child receives if they are not able to receive quality sleep.
How do you know if a child gets quality sleep each night?
A sleep questionnaire filled out by a parent can evaluate the quality and symptoms of a child’s sleep. Mouth breathing, tossing and turning, bed wetting, teeth grinding, bad dreams, and sleep walking are just some of the signs of sleep problems that can affect a child’s sleep quality and even have an effect on the whole family.
How can dentists help?
Dentists trained in the Healthy Start appliances can help a child suffering from abnormal sleep issues. Parents should be very concerned that their child might not be getting quality sleep at night. The underlying root causes of SDB include: a compromised airway, a narrow upper palate preventing the tongue to rest in the proper position (in the palate), as well as being a mouth breather rather than a nasal breather. Dentists trained in the Healthy Start program will be expertly trained in identifying these issues and providing a solution.
Healthy Start is a solution for these children
Healthy Start is a comprehensive, conservative, nonpharmaceutical, and non-invasive treatment which uses a child’s own ability to guide and develop their growth and development while helping them get a quality sleep at night. Healthy Start is also a great alternative to straightening teeth without braces. This type of treatment is less expensive than braces, more permanent, addresses both health and dental conditions, and usually takes less time. A win-win for life.
The Healthy Start sleep questionnaire, which can be downloaded for free at Thehealthystart.com, can give a glimpse of whether a child has any of the outward symptoms that a parent should be aware in order to investigate the possible root causes and the treatment possibilities of SDB.
How early can a child begin treatment with healthy Start?
The Healthy Start system can treat children as young as two years of age. Addressing children during their growing years is critical for permanent change – so timing is of the essence. Waiting can put a child in a position that their growth and development has already occurred and therefore missed their opportunity for permanent change. Older children and adults realize that treatment for sleep issues can only occur with a day-to-day treatment offering a band-aid type of treatment.
Dr. Bergersen taught and lectured throughout the world on growth and development research. He has done extensive research on the use of skeletal age assessments of maturity in relation to facial and body growth and its influence on orthodontic treatment and retention timing.
Visit Thehealthystart.com or call 1.844.KID.HEALTHY for further information and attend a Healthy Start Provider Course. Attend a hands-on course to understand SDB, identify, evaluate and treat cases. Course listings at www.thehealthystart.com.
