Why are there so many Young People with Sleep Apnea?

[ShelaghDB]

I am very taken aback at the young ages I am coming across on this board that have sleep apnea.

I even saw mention of sleep apnea for young 2 and 3 year olds and later than saw that doctors are now looking at SIDs, (crib death) as potential Sleep Apnea victims?

What is causing this?
I was under the impression that a great number of people with Sleep Apnea are overweight but many again are not but at least in ones 50s and up I can understand how certain muscles lose their elasticity or how some flap inside our throats may not work as well as when we were 20 but WHAT on earth is the reason for so many younger people coming down with this?

Anyone know why?

[KarD786]

To my understanding, in children sleep apnea is almost always due to a structural abnormality in development such as enlarged tonsils, adenoids, etc. And I'm pretty sure it's almost always cure able in children via surgery, where as surgery is much less effective in adults.

[ShelaghDB]

So if that is the case does that mean most adults with Sleep Apnea still have their tonsils?


I have mine?
Ive never broken a bone or anything so still have my tonsils as well...
Do you have yours?


Not sue if that means most of us still have them or thats unrelated

[Canadian_Jesus]

Actually, I'm fairly young compared to most of the other people I know who have sleep apnea. I am a healthy 25 years old. Unfortunately for me, my Complex Sleep Apnea was caused by my opiate addiction which started when I was 16 and I finally kicked it at the age of 21 with the help of methadone. In fact, it was my methadone doctor who recommended that I take a sleep study. Lo and behold, mine is severe. I was diagnosed when I was 22 and only started using my three year old CPAP machine in April of this year. I would like to hear input from other apnea patients of a similar age range as me. I'm the only person I know under the age of 50 with sleep apnea.

[Canadian_Jesus]

By the way. I still have my tonsils.

[ems]

Tonsils removed when I was a little girl. Doctor told granddaughter hers are unusually large, but that she didn't need surgery. I hope he is right. Often I hear a slight snore when she is sleeping.

[Tatooed Lady]

Why wouldn't it be a byproduct of a polluted environment that our bodies can't cope with? That's my theory, as it takes all blame off my hands.

[avi123]

Obesity now affects 17% of all children and adolescents in the United States - triple the rate from just one generation ago.

Childhood obesity rates remain high. Overall, obesity among our nation’s young people, aged 2 to 19 years, has not changed significantly since 2003-2004 and remains at about 17 percent. However among 2-5 years old, obesity has declined based on CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data.

35% of adults aged 20 years or older were obese.

If you know a toddler 2 years and above you could check his/her obesity = BMI here:

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/basics.html

To prevent SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) my expecting youngest daughter (in Sept.) asked to install a ceiling fan in the expected baby's bedroom. She read somewhere that a running fan could prevent SIDS.

Could you give a clue where have you found out SIDS vs OSA b/c it's not in Google.

[poppi2]

Lost my tonsils sixty-five years ago.

[Craig-Tx]

I would like to hear input from other apnea patients of a similar age range as me. I'm the only person I know under the age of 50 with sleep apnea.

I'm only 36. I've been a hose head since I was 29. I am a bit overweight, but certainly far from obese.

[ChasingSheep]

Well, I'm 26 and let's just say this topic makes me feel a little better already. The answer to the question that you propose can be incredibly complex, OP. From my own experience browsing these forums, there does appear to be quite a few younger individuals like myself, but by and large, I would still say we are in the minority here. Now, while we might suffer from the same ailment as our older counterparts, perhaps the severity from which we experience it is different. For example, I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea with a RDI of 10, and lacked a lot of the telltale signs such as daytime sleepiness. Or perhaps there are many younger individuals like myself who has some type of sleep apnea that is mild enough to go unnoticed, or symptoms mild enough to be deemed "normal". I'm sure many people on this forum can attest to the fact that they didn't develop symptoms of sleep apnea overnight, and they most likely had it for years and decades. They just never acted on it and went in for a sleep study until a catalyst drove them to the clinic.

@ CanadianJesus:
It definitely sucks having to CPAP, and I share your pain of having to do so at such a young age.

And fortunately, or unfortunately for me, I still have my tonsils.

[library lady]

There's probably no way to know why ... I do know that there are children with OSA, there's even headgear and masks made for them, and I have heard of premie babies with it too. It certainly could be a factor in SIDS. I had my tonsils out as a young child.

[ShelaghDB]

SIDS = Sleep Apnea


I am afraid I don't recall exactly where I read it but i saw an article on the web about it just in this past week. It stood out for me as an acquaintances baby died in SIDs about 25 years ago and the police treated her at first as if she were to blame. I don't think the police at the time realized right away it was SIDs but i remember quite appalled for the young mother that the police put her through after having had such a tragedy happen.

Thats why I believe it stood out to me.

In any event, a quick google search brings these up
https://www.google.ca/webhp?tab=ww&ei=P ... leep+apnea

[ShelaghDB]

Ok well I suppose we all just put the tonsil theory to rest as it appears some have, like myself, their tonsils still and yet others don't so its likely other reasons but I just never knew until reading this forum at how young some were and then reading about the connection to possible SIDs


CanadianJesus:

I have to admit i am quite fascinated as to why you believe that opiate addiction would cause Sleep Apnea, let alone methadone?
I know that methadone, along with other opiates can create higher spikes for Clear Airway Apnea than Obstructive Apnea, and sometimes those using such drugs cannot actually get treated properly with CPAP and have to change to BIPAP I believe it is???

So how can the opiate and methadone create Sleep Apnea if you have had it explained to you? Ive never heard that before which isn't to say you are wrong, I haven't any idea if you are right or not but i am just not aware of this theory......so curious to hear why?

I do know that there are children with OSA, there's even headgear and masks made for them, and I have heard of premie babies with it too.

I can't even begin to fathom how a young mother would deal with a little ones Sleep Apnea..........that would be hell i would think

[ShelaghDB]

I'm only 36. I've been a hose head since I was 29. I am a bit overweight, but certainly far from obese.

my brother in law is a very young 55 but more importantly he does not have an ounce of fat on him. he world out daily for 3 hours (overkill) and has a better set of abs then most 25 year olds.
No fat at all yet he was recently diagnosed because he was exhausted daily

That puts the overweight theory to shame as well and if you saw him no one would ever associate him with it