If you ever notice your kiddo waking up exhausted, even after a full night of sleep, it may be due to issues with your child’s airway, making them an excellent candidate for Healthy Start. Healthy Start is a fantastic treatment option for children to prevent adult sleep apnea from developing later in life. Common symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing often go overlooked. If your child snores, grinds, wets the bed, has focus or attention issues, or has crooked teeth, they are at high risk for developing sleep apnea as an adult. The great news is that there is an active and non-invasive treatment we can do that can help prevent this.
This fantastic option can significantly reduce the likelihood that your kids will need more costly, stressful, or invasive sleep apnea care. Call Dee for Dentist to schedule a free consultation, and we can get started on improving your child’s sleep.
Introduction to Healthy Start
Healthy Start is a non-invasive treatment option designed to address sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in children. SDB can lead to a range of issues, including sleep apnea, mouth breathing, and behavioral problems. By guiding the development of the jaw bones and promoting proper airway alignment, Healthy Start can help children develop properly and reduce the risk of sleep apnea and other related health issues. This system is typically worn at night, but some children may also wear it for short periods during the day to help train their muscles and improve breathing.
Understanding Pediatric Sleep-Disordered Breathing
Pediatric sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is a common issue affecting many children. It can cause a range of symptoms, including bed wetting, chronic allergies, and aggressive behavior. SDB can also lead to more severe health issues, such as sleep apnea, if left untreated. The Healthy Start system is an effective treatment option for SDB, as it works to open up the airway and promote nasal breathing. By addressing the root causes of SDB, Healthy Start can help improve a child’s overall health and well-being. Children with SDB may exhibit symptoms such as snoring, mouth breathing, and difficulty sleeping, which can impact their daily life and behavior.
What Is Healthy Start and How Can It Improve Your Child’s Sleep?
Healthy Start is a noninvasive system designed to guide the development of the jaw bones allowing for the proper spacing for incoming teeth and the development of the proper size airway. Consulting a child’s dentist is crucial for evaluating and treating dental issues related to sleep-disordered breathing. These custom oral appliances are a series of soft oral appliances, similar to a sports nightguard, that a child wears to sleep.
While these appliances are typically worn at night, some kids may benefit from wearing them for short periods during the day. This practice can help them get used to the tool and train their muscles, leading to healthier alignment of the child’s jaw and easier breathing in the long run.
What are the Signs Your Child Might Have Disordered Sleeping?
If you are worried your child might suffer from disordered sleeping, we recommend keeping an ear out for a few signs:
- Heavy breathing while asleep
- Restless sleep
- Bedwetting
- Snoring, including those with pauses, snorting, or gasping
- Daytime sleepiness or behaviors impacted by lack of rest, like irritability, tantrums, or other behavioral issues
- Headaches in the morning
- Symptoms of ADD or ADHD
- Teeth crowding
- Eye bags
- Problems with bite
Recognizing sleep disordered breathing symptoms early can help in preventing long-term health issues.
Additional symptoms may indicate a child is not sleeping as well as they could be, so we encourage you to talk with a qualified practitioner. Healthy Start works well for children aged two through 12 to prevent the onset of adult sleep apnea.
We can help conduct tests, provide a formal diagnosis, and discuss various prevention and treatment options, including Healthy Start. Healthy Start ensures that children receive enough oxygen at night, improving their overall well-being. When you work with a provider at Dee for Dentist, we can provide you with extensive guidance and support.
Non-Invasive Treatment Options
The Healthy Start system is a non-invasive treatment option for sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in children. This system works by guiding the development of the jaw bones and promoting proper airway alignment, which can help reduce the risk of sleep apnea and other related health issues. Unlike other treatment options, such as surgery or CPAP machines, Healthy Start is a gentle and non-invasive approach that can be worn at night or during the day. The system is designed to be comfortable and easy to use, making it an ideal treatment option for children. Additionally, Healthy Start can help prevent future orthodontics and promote straight teeth, reducing the need for costly and invasive procedures later in life.
How Does Healthy Start Work to Prevent the Onset of Sleep Apnea?
Healthy Start is made to mitigate the need for sleep apnea interventions such as a CPAP in adulthood. By correcting bite, palate, and jaw development, there’s less need for future orthodontics, loud sleep apnea appliances, or medications. Like training wheels on a bike, Healthy Start trains your kiddo’s muscles and tongue to develop correctly.
When sleep-disordered breathing is treated early, it can prevent the need for more invasive treatments later on.
The Difference Before and After Healthy Start
Healthy Start is an excellent way to prevent adult sleep apnea. Most adults develop sleep apnea because their airways are too narrow, leading to a compromised airway that can only manage the symptoms of this disorder after it develops.
Imagine that a normal, healthy airway is meant to be the size of a boba straw. Those who face sleep apnea may have an airway, comparatively, the size of a coffee stirrer. A compromised airway can prevent proper airflow and oxygen flow to the brain during sleep, impacting overall brain function.
However, with an excellent preventative therapy like Healthy Start, the risk for sleep apnea significantly diminishes. While adults cannot reverse sleep apnea and improve the size of their airways, not all hope is lost for our children. This option allows your child’s airways to develop properly, so they are less likely to require sleep apnea management tools—like a CPAP machine—later in life. Essentially, we’re helping to ensure that children have a healthy, boba straw-sized airway.
Symptoms That Healthy Start Can Reduce
The Healthy Start System reduces mouth breathing, snoring, and speech difficulties. Children suffering from sleep-disordered breathing can experience a range of negative effects, including difficulty breathing and daytime drowsiness. If you have questions about the system and whether your child is eligible, please contact Dee for Dentist. We’re more than happy to explain the process and provide additional options for improving your child’s well-being.
Risks of Untreated Sleep Apnea
Untreated sleep apnea can lead to a range of serious health issues, including high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. In children, sleep apnea can also lead to behavioral problems, such as ADHD, and can impact their ability to focus and learn. Furthermore, sleep apnea can cause chronic allergies, bed wetting, and nightmares, which can significantly impact a child’s quality of life. If left untreated, sleep apnea can also lead to complications such as narrow airways, crooked teeth, and aggressive behavior.
The Healthy Start system can help reduce the risk of these complications by addressing the root causes of sleep disordered breathing and promoting proper airway alignment. By treating sleep apnea early on, parents can help their children develop properly and reduce the risk of related health issues later in life. It is essential for parents to schedule an appointment with a child’s dentist to discuss the risks of untreated sleep apnea and explore treatment options, such as the Healthy Start system.
Improve Your Sleep Quality: Contact Dee for Dentist for Guidance and Peaceful Nights
Ready to banish the boogeyman of bad sleep from your kiddo’s closet? Many children experience improvements in their sleep quality immediately after starting the Healthy Start program. It’s time to give Dee for Dentist a call and talk about the Healthy Start System. Think of us as the sleep fairy godparents, ready to sprinkle magical, mask-free mojo into your child’s sleep routine. Dr. Dee is a specialist in the Healthy Start System.
Don’t let restless nights interrupt your child’s health. Call (702) 586-7800 or complete our contact form to get started with our dedicated providers. Only a handful of dentists offer Healthy Start in our area, so our team is an excellent option to improve your child’s long-term health and development. Book a consultation, and let’s chat about how Healthy Start can be the incredible option your little one needs.
