Children with Apnea

Dan01 · Post by **Dan01** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 12:54 pm

I am 46 and use a CPAP. My dad uses a CPAP. But now I listen to my daughter sleep at night and I KNOW she has OSA. I feel bad for her. Every night she can baarely make air pass through her airway. I can tell if it is her sinuses, but I suspect it is the back of the throat because she does not have a sinus problem during the day.

She is 6 years old. My wife and I used to joke about it. But it has not gone away. We noticed it a couple years ago.

Is this too young for a CPAP? I would hate for her to get diagnosed with sleep apnea at such a young age. I was thinking about paying cash for the sleep study so it is not registered with the insurance companies.

She makes the worse weezing sounds I have heard, followed by waking up. I would love to do something.

Dan

yardbird · Post by **yardbird** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 1:56 pm

If you suspect sleep apnea, talk to a doctor. Get the child tested if this is deemed warranted. The sooner she gets help the better off she'll be. I wore eyeglasses at 5 years old. Nobody thought anything of it. This is something she'll only wear to sleep in. It's not public information unless she wants it to be (I do understand kids can be embarrassed by things that are good for them).

So it's not registered with the insurance company? Is that a problem? I've never been denied health or life insurance because I have apnea.

Dan01 · Post by **Dan01** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 2:17 pm

yardbird wrote:If you suspect sleep apnea, talk to a doctor. Get the child tested if this is deemed warranted. The sooner she gets help the better off she'll be. I wore eyeglasses at 5 years old. Nobody thought anything of it. This is something she'll only wear to sleep in. It's not public information unless she wants it to be (I do understand kids can be embarrassed by things that are good for them).

So it's not registered with the insurance company? Is that a problem? I've never been denied health or life insurance because I have apnea.

I have read on this board where people with apnea have switched insurance companies and then suffered another problem. I think it was treatment for depression. The insurance company denied their claim because they had a pre-existing condition (osa). What if it were a stroke or heart attack. Who wants to fight with insurance companies? Anyway, it got me thinking.

yardbird · Post by **yardbird** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 12:11 pm

If you play it right you won't get trapped in the "pre-existing condition" thing. Way back many years ago my wife had a gall bladder attack very soon after we had switched insurances (because I changed employers). She had to have emergency surgery to have the gall bladder out. The insurance company tried to brush it off as a pre-existing condition. I went down there in my motorcycle gear and told them the ony condition that was pre-existing was that she HAD a gall bladder. And that unless they are prepared to deny ALL gall bladder surgeries they better pay up. I was very loud, threatening and obnoxious. And I had a note in my pocket from my mother that said it was ok to scare people.

It's a shame that we sometimes have to resort to these tactics, but I absolutely REFUSE to be bullied by an insurance company. You can also check before you switch. Ask the question. "I have sleep apnea. How will that affect my coverage?"

Remember that many times they'll do a lot to try and weasel out of paying you or covering something. They have people that get paid to deny your claim. Many people simply accept that denial of coverage. The insurance companies count on that percentage of people. Then there are those of us that are willing to stand up to them when needed. They pay... grudgingly, but they pay. Quite often

ITeach · Post by **ITeach** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 1:08 pm

Does she still have her tonsils and adnoids? My son's breathing got MUCH better after his adnoids were removed. It may be worth starting with an ENT.

As for the pre-existing condition thing, if you work for a company that is large enough to have to grant leaves under FMLA, they cannot deny health coverage for pre-existing conditions. Having been treated for depression, even prior to CPAP, I have run into a little trouble with life insurance, but nothing that couldn't be worked around.

I am not a doctor, nor an insurance person, just sharing my personal experiences.

Good luck. I know what it's like to listen to kids gasping and wheezing in their sleep. Make sure she gets the right diagnosis and care. It's not something to mess with.

Sue

yellowcason · Post by **yellowcason** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 1:56 am

i have been snoring like a drunken sailor since my mom can remeber.. she took me to one doctor when i was 3 and he didnt know what to do. I finally got treatment for sleep apnea a year ago now that i am 25. I wish, wish, wish someone had done something when i was a kid. I dont think that 6 is to young....there have been some studies in the uk of improving sleep apnea with specialized vocal excercises that target the muscles in the throat. It has been successfull in eliminating snoring and mild cases of apnea... or in severe cases of apnea making it a mild or moderate case in which the person could safely reduce cpap pressure. http://www.singingforsnorers.com/index.htm is one site that i looked at.

Janelle · Post by **Janelle** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:02 am

Many children, even babies are on xPAP. At her age a visit to an ENT could confirm or deny any obstructions of the throat and if it is the tonsils she could safely have them removed. As an adult it is a much more serious operation.

If she is overweight, a sensible diet can help improve the OSA as it could be the same thing as many athletes have, simply too much tissue around the neck, compressing the throat. So many kids are overweight these days, that that is a consideration.

Mask