NY1 reports on how sleep apnea can be problematic for children, and what the best treatments for children are.

Sleep apnea can have negative impacts on a child’s health and development. Dr. Modi says it usually starts off with heavy loud breathing and then progresses to loud disruptive snoring.

“So snoring should be rhythmic breathing,” Dr. Modi said. “Sleep apnea is when you actually have pauses or breaks in that snoring pattern.”

Pediatric Sleep expert Dr. Haviva Veler says each one of those disruptions prevents the child from falling into the deepest and most restful stage of sleep.

“The immediate effects of sleep apnea are daytime sleepiness or hyperactivity, inability to sit in one place, difficulty in concentrating and learning disabilities,” said Dr. Veler of Weill Cornell Pediatric Sleep Center.