Like a car or any other machine at all, any unusual sound emerging from it is usually an indication of something that needs attention.

You will side with me that ignoring such strange noise from the car may cause unexpected stoppages unfortunately on rush hour moments on unplanned days.

A similitude of such a situation is the human body. Snoring exemplifies the car situation. Although snoring sounds and feels harmless, it may have accompanying complications that may be surprising, preventable, dreadful, and unpalatable.

A friend of mine called me one morning to complain that his nephew had this noisy snore that started about an hour or two after going to bed.

His sibling, his sleeping partner will wake him up most time to sleep with their parents to continue his sleep. He added that his teachers complained and even wrote in his terminal academic report card that he usually slept during lessons and he had bad academic results because of sleeping in class.

He sleeps even during eating. He is a regular complainant of headaches which mum gave paracetamol syrups for. He said to me with a giggle; “my sister, his mum, thinks he is under a spell”. We both burst into uncontrollably laughter simultaneously.

This is the reality a lot of people face daily.

What is snoring?   

Snoring is a brassy, hoarse, or harsh sound due to noisy breathing during sleep. Snoring is borne from a blockage along the air tubes to the lungs; right from your nostrils, through to your throat (in the neck). The change from an upright posture in the day to horizontal position during sleep is one of the reasons for snoring. This is why is common during sleep.

Snoring in children

Persistent snoring in children can be worrying. I often hear from our grannies that their wards will grow out of it. That may be true. Some children do grow out of it, but when it is persistent, daily and very loud, you need to see the otorhinolaryngologist (Ear Nose Throat surgeon); not just because of the noisy breathing but complications that may arise if it is ignored like heart and kidney diseases.

Snoring in children may be due to swollen tonsils at the back of the mouth or inflamed adenoids behind the nostrils blocking the airways.

Tonsils and adenoids are simply germ-fighting soldiers purifying the air and the food we take in with the end game of preventing diseases.

Through their activities sometimes, they become swollen with the propensity to block the airways.

One may be asking so why is snoring not heard when my ward is up from bed but only during sleep? Now this is the catch. The airways are kept patent(opened) by muscles. These muscles are in action only when you are awake and remain partly inactive during sleep.  Also, your ward sleeping on his or her back may be the cause; sleeping on his side may correct it.

Foreign bodies in the nostrils can be the reason for snoring. “How did the foreign body get in the nostril?” one may inquiringly ask.  

Children play with a lot of things from toys, to chalk to food particles. They also try to inquisitively play with their mouths and nostrils by putting these materials in there.

In the event where they are unable to take them out, they may not tell the caretaker or in even show a sign of it not even crying. Snoring may be the only telltale sign for this event if he has never snored before. ENT surgeons and general paractitioners have removed a lot of materials for nostrils of kids many atime surprisingly.

From hair to screws, you name them. Excessive physical exertion during the day has also been linked to snoring. Children often growing out of this time of snoring. Childhood obesity has also been found culprit.      

Snoring in children when ignored can affect their academic performance in children. This is because snoring impairs comfortable and restful sleep leading to drowsiness and daytime sleep (narcolepsy).

Directly or indirectly snoring can be linked to poor academic work because your ward may be sleeping during lessons. Wards and guardians should be concerned if teachers report that your ward is almost often than not sleeping in class with a decline in academic work.

If these school events are coupled with snoring, book an appointment with a general practitioner or an ENT surgeon at best, for help.

About the author; Dr Michael Baah Biney is a Ghana Medical Association Member, Global Health Head @ Kandifo Institute. (@_papabiney on twiiter & Instagram). mikebiney77@gmail.com.