It is not normal for the baby to make any noise when breathing when he is awake or sleeping or even snoring, and it is important to consult the pediatrician if the snoring is strong and constant, so that the cause of the snoring is investigated and treatment can be started.
The sound of snoring occurs when there is difficulty in the passage of air through the nose and airways and usually occurs when the passageway is narrower than ideal. Snoring can also be indicative of allergies, reflux and enlargement of adenoids, for example, the treatment being performed according to the cause.
Main causes of baby snoring
The baby's snoring can be indicative of several illness problems, such as:
- Flu or cold;
- Increased tonsils and adenoids, which are a kind of spongy meat that are located inside the nose. Learn more about adenoids;
- Allergic rhinitis, it is important to identify the cause of the allergy and eliminate it;
- Gastroesophageal reflux, which can occur due to gastrointestinal immaturity. See what the symptoms are and how the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux in a baby is done;
- Laryngomalacia, which is a congenital disease that affects the larynx and leads to obstruction of the airways during inspiration, causing the baby to breathe through the mouth and, consequently, to snore.
Sleep apnea can also make the baby snore and is characterized by momentarily stopping breathing while the baby is sleeping, which results in decreased oxygen in the blood and brain and can lead to severe complications if left untreated. Learn all about sleep apnea in baby.
Complications arising from breathing through the mouth
Snoring causes the baby to consume more energy because it has to make more force to breathe, which can lead to difficulties in feeding. In this way, the baby can lose weight or not gain enough weight, besides presenting delay in the development of the nervous system and in the motor coordination.
By breathing through the mouth, the baby may have more discomfort and pain in the throat, as well as greater ease in developing throat infections. In addition, when the baby breathes through the mouth, the lips are parted and the teeth exposed, which can cause long-term changes in the structure of the mouth bones, which makes the face more elongated and the teeth misaligned.
Treatment for Baby Stop Snoring
If your baby snores constantly even if he or she is not having the flu or a cold, it is important that the parents take the baby to the pediatrician so that the cause of the baby's snoring can be checked and treatment can be started. It is not always possible to identify the exact cause of snoring, but it still needs to be investigated.
The pediatrician may order tests that may indicate what may be making it difficult for the baby to breathe through the nose without any sound emission, thus indicating the necessary treatment.
