Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome back, everyone. We're diving into a topic that hits close to home for many of you. Sleep apnea. And those kiddos. And teens.
[00:00:07] Speaker B: Yeah, you know, those youngsters you send in.
[00:00:09] Speaker A: Tons of research.
[00:00:10] Speaker B: A whole bunch.
[00:00:11] Speaker A: So we'll be breaking down the highlights for you.
[00:00:13] Speaker B: Yeah. Trying to figure out what it all means.
[00:00:15] Speaker A: Did you know that 1 to 5% of kids have obstructive sleep apnea?
[00:00:20] Speaker B: Whoa. Really?
[00:00:21] Speaker A: Yeah. Pretty common, huh?
[00:00:23] Speaker B: Huh? Yeah, you don't hear about that a.
[00:00:24] Speaker A: Lot, but it's often underdiagnosed.
[00:00:26] Speaker B: Oh, that's bad.
[00:00:27] Speaker A: And that number jumps to 60% for obese children.
[00:00:30] Speaker B: 60%. Wow.
[00:00:32] Speaker A: So let's get started with the basics. Obstructive sleep apnea, or osa. What exactly is that?
[00:00:38] Speaker B: It's the most common type in kids. Basically, the upper airway gets blocked during sleep.
[00:00:43] Speaker A: So they stop breathing.
[00:00:45] Speaker B: Yeah, but it's temporary, like little pauses.
[00:00:47] Speaker A: Like a roadblock for their breathing.
[00:00:48] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:00:49] Speaker A: So most people probably think snoring.
[00:00:51] Speaker B: Right. Snoring's a big one.
[00:00:52] Speaker A: But what else should parents look out for?
[00:00:54] Speaker B: Well, you know, bedwetting, teeth grinding, always tired.
[00:00:58] Speaker A: Yeah. Daytime grogginess.
[00:01:00] Speaker B: Right. But also pay attention to things like mouth breathing.
[00:01:03] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. Like if they're always breathing through their mouth.
[00:01:06] Speaker B: Yeah. Or if their breathing pauses a lot when they're asleep. Or if they just toss and turn all night.
[00:01:11] Speaker A: So a lot of this might seem like normal kid stuff.
[00:01:13] Speaker B: Right.
[00:01:14] Speaker A: So what should a parent do if they notice this? Should they just assume it's sleep apnea?
[00:01:19] Speaker B: Well, not right away. The first thing is always talk to their doctor.
[00:01:23] Speaker A: So the doctor can kind of figure out what's going on.
[00:01:26] Speaker B: Exactly. They can ask the right questions and decide if they need a sleep study.
[00:01:30] Speaker A: You provided some info from Yale Medicine?
[00:01:32] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:01:33] Speaker A: And they had a great overview of sleep studies.
[00:01:35] Speaker B: Oh, nice. So what's it like?
[00:01:37] Speaker A: It's really not that bad.
[00:01:38] Speaker B: Not scary?
[00:01:39] Speaker A: No, not at all. It's painless.
[00:01:41] Speaker B: That's good.
[00:01:42] Speaker A: And it gives you a ton of info about your child's sleep.
[00:01:44] Speaker B: Oh, wow. So now we know the signs and how it's diagnosed.
[00:01:48] Speaker A: But why should a parent really be worried about this? Like, what's the impact on a kid's life?
[00:01:53] Speaker B: Well, if your kid's not sleeping well, it affects everything. You know, they're tired, grumpy, can't focus in school.
[00:02:00] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. Like trying to work on an empty stomach.
[00:02:02] Speaker B: Exactly. It's like run on a half charged battery.
[00:02:05] Speaker A: And There's a stat. 15% of adults in Miami Dade county said their mental health was not good.
[00:02:10] Speaker B: Hmm, that's interesting.
[00:02:12] Speaker A: So could there be a link? Like untreated sleep apnea in childhood and those mental health challenges later on?
[00:02:20] Speaker B: It's definitely possible. We know that lack of sleep can lead to all sorts of things. Anxiety, depression, you name it.
[00:02:27] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:02:28] Speaker B: And if those sleep problems started way back in childhood because of sleep apnea, it kind of makes sense that taking care of it early could make a huge difference for their mental well being later on.
[00:02:38] Speaker A: That's a really interesting point. Yeah, it's like investing in their mental health.
[00:02:42] Speaker B: Exactly. And it's not just mental health. It affects their physical health too.
[00:02:46] Speaker A: Right, like that stat about 60% of obese children having sleep apnea.
[00:02:51] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, that one's a biggie.
[00:02:52] Speaker A: Do you think it's a vicious cycle? Like sleep apnea makes them gain weight, and the weight makes the sleep apnea worse?
[00:02:58] Speaker B: It's complicated, but yeah, they're definitely connected. And it can lead to other things too, like heart problems, high blood pressure, even developmental delays in kids.
[00:03:08] Speaker A: Oh, wow. So it's a lot more serious than people realize for sure. Okay, well, before we get into those consequences, I want to touch on this research you sent from the Journal Fleep.
[00:03:16] Speaker B: Oh, right, that study.
[00:03:17] Speaker A: It found structural differences in the brains of teenagers with osa.
[00:03:21] Speaker B: Yeah, like less gray matter in certain areas.
[00:03:24] Speaker A: Okay, I'm no brain surgeon. What does that even mean?
[00:03:26] Speaker B: Basically, gray matter is like the brain's control center. It handles memory, learning, decision making, all the important stuff.
[00:03:35] Speaker A: So finding less gray matter in teens with OSA is a big deal.
[00:03:39] Speaker B: Huge deal. It means that sleep apnea might be messing with their brain development, not just their sleep.
[00:03:45] Speaker A: Wow, that's scary.
[00:03:46] Speaker B: Yeah, it's still early research.
[00:03:48] Speaker A: Right.
[00:03:48] Speaker B: But it definitely shows that we need to pay attention to this.
[00:03:51] Speaker A: So this is all pretty heavy stuff, but let's focus on solutions. Now, what can parents do if their child is diagnosed with sleep apnea?
[00:03:58] Speaker B: Well, there are a few different approaches, and the best one really depends on the kid and how severe their sleep apnea is.
[00:04:05] Speaker A: Okay, so what are some of the most common treatments?
[00:04:07] Speaker B: Sometimes it's as simple as taking out the tonsils and adenoids if they're too big and blocking the airway.
[00:04:13] Speaker A: Makes sense.
[00:04:13] Speaker B: And for kids who are overweight, losing weight can help a lot.
[00:04:17] Speaker A: So healthy eating and exercise.
[00:04:19] Speaker B: Exactly. Lifestyle changes are key, especially when weight is a factor.
[00:04:24] Speaker A: But what if those things don't work?
[00:04:26] Speaker B: Well, there's always the CPAP machine.
[00:04:28] Speaker A: So for our listeners, what is that?
[00:04:30] Speaker B: CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. It's this little machine that blows air through a mask while they sleep.
[00:04:38] Speaker A: So it keeps their airway open.
[00:04:39] Speaker B: Yep. No more pauses in breathing.
[00:04:42] Speaker A: That sounds kind of intense might seem.
[00:04:44] Speaker B: Like it, but it's actually super effective for a lot of kids and adults with osa.
[00:04:48] Speaker A: It's amazing that just some airflow can make such a difference for their sleep and their well being.
[00:04:53] Speaker B: Totally agree. It shows how important it is to understand how sleep works. Even small changes can have a big impact.
[00:04:59] Speaker A: Okay, so we've learned a lot today, but before we wrap up this part, let's do a quick recap for our listeners. Sure. So first off, sleep apnea is more common in kids than you might think. And it can really affect their lives both physically and mentally.
[00:05:12] Speaker B: Big time.
[00:05:13] Speaker A: Early detection is super important.
[00:05:14] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:05:15] Speaker A: So parents should be aware of the signs and talk to their doctor if they're worried.
[00:05:18] Speaker B: Definitely. And the good news is there are treatments available.
[00:05:22] Speaker A: So even though it's a serious topic, there's hope for sure. And in part two, we'll continue our deep dive looking at the long term effects of OSA and what the future holds for research and treatment.
[00:05:34] Speaker B: Can't wait. Welcome back, everybody.
[00:05:38] Speaker A: So we've been talking about sleep apnea in kids and teens.
[00:05:42] Speaker B: Right. Those little guys.
[00:05:44] Speaker A: It's crazy to think that something that starts so early can have effects that last a lifetime.
[00:05:49] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. It's like setting them up for success or failure.
[00:05:52] Speaker A: Exactly. And we touched on some consequences. But let's dig deeper into those long term effects as they become adults.
[00:05:58] Speaker B: Yeah. Like what happens down the road.
[00:06:00] Speaker A: Okay, so one area is academic performance.
[00:06:02] Speaker B: Yeah. How they do in school and stuff.
[00:06:04] Speaker A: Right. Like kids with untreated sleep apnea, they might have trouble focusing, paying attention, remembering things.
[00:06:11] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. That'll make learning tough.
[00:06:13] Speaker A: And that can really impact their future.
[00:06:15] Speaker B: Oh, for sure. Like if they can't keep up in school because they're always tired.
[00:06:19] Speaker A: Right. They might feel bad about themselves, lose motivation, even affect their job choices later on.
[00:06:23] Speaker B: Absolutely. And it goes beyond school, too. There's more and more evidence that if sleep apnea isn't treated when they're kids, it can increase their chances of getting serious health problems as adults, like heart disease, high blood pressure, even type 2 diabetes.
[00:06:38] Speaker A: Wow. It's like a ticking time bomb.
[00:06:40] Speaker B: Pretty much.
[00:06:41] Speaker A: And you know, we talked about that stat. 37.5% of adults in Miami Dade county sleep less than seven hours a night.
[00:06:48] Speaker B: Right, Right.
[00:06:49] Speaker A: Do you think that could be because they had sleep problems as kids and it just carried over?
[00:06:53] Speaker B: It's definitely a Possibility. And when you add in the fact that 33.2% of adults in Miami Dades say they have no time for fun stuff.
[00:07:01] Speaker A: Yeah, no time for teasure.
[00:07:02] Speaker B: Right. It makes you think they might not be prioritizing sleep.
[00:07:05] Speaker A: It's like this whole lifestyle of not enough sleep starting in childhood. Then they grow up, life gets busy and stressful and they just don't get enough rest.
[00:07:15] Speaker B: Yeah, it's like a recipe for disaster.
[00:07:17] Speaker A: And those long term effects are serious?
[00:07:19] Speaker B: Oh yeah. Lack of sleep, whether it's from untreated sleep apnea or other things, has been linked to all sorts of problems. You know, weight gain, heart problems, mood swings, even more accidents.
[00:07:32] Speaker A: It's a good reminder that sleep isn't just about feeling good. It's crucial for our health, our whole lives.
[00:07:38] Speaker B: Absolutely. But hey, it's not all doom and gloom.
[00:07:40] Speaker A: Okay, good.
[00:07:41] Speaker B: The good news is that people are becoming more aware of sleep apnea.
[00:07:45] Speaker A: That's good.
[00:07:45] Speaker B: And with more awareness comes more research, better ways to diagnose it, and more effective treatments.
[00:07:52] Speaker A: So where do you think sleep apnea research is headed? Like what are scientists trying to figure out?
[00:07:57] Speaker B: Well, one thing they're really focused on is understanding the long term consequences of not treating it. Like what specifically happens. They want to find ways to predict which kids are at the highest risk of developing those chronic illnesses later in life.
[00:08:11] Speaker A: That would be amazing. If we could figure that out early. We could help those kids and maybe even prevent those problems.
[00:08:17] Speaker B: Exactly. And there's a lot of cool research happening on new treatments.
[00:08:20] Speaker A: Oh, like what?
[00:08:21] Speaker B: Well, they're developing things that aren't as invasive, like mouthpieces that help keep the airway open and new drugs that tackle the root causes of sleep apnea.
[00:08:30] Speaker A: It sounds like there's a lot to look forward to.
[00:08:32] Speaker B: Oh yeah, definitely.
[00:08:33] Speaker A: But in the meantime, what can parents do to be proactive about their kids sleep?
[00:08:38] Speaker B: One of the most important things is a regular sleep routine, like setting bedtimes and wake up times, even on weekends. And having a calming routine before bed to help their bodies wind down.
[00:08:48] Speaker A: And I bet limiting screen time is key too.
[00:08:51] Speaker B: Absolutely. No screens for at least an hour or two before bed. Encourage them to do calming things instead, like reading, taking a bath, listening to music.
[00:09:01] Speaker A: So it's about making a sleep friendly environment, both physically and mentally.
[00:09:05] Speaker B: Right.
[00:09:06] Speaker A: And starting those good habits early can benefit them their whole lives.
[00:09:10] Speaker B: For sure.
[00:09:10] Speaker A: This all comes back to sleep being more than just rest. It's about taking care of our minds, emotions and our overall well being.
[00:09:17] Speaker B: Well said. Taking care of sleep is taking care of ourselves.
[00:09:21] Speaker A: This deep dive has been so eye opening. We've covered snoring, sleep studies, brain changes, and the long term effects of not treating sleep apnea.
[00:09:30] Speaker B: It's amazing how everything connects back to sleep.
[00:09:32] Speaker A: Totally. We can't ignore it for our kids, ourselves, or even for society as a whole. But before we move on, I want to talk about something that came up in the research you shared. The idea that sleep apnea could affect future generations.
[00:09:46] Speaker B: Oh yeah. That's a really interesting area of research. There's some evidence that epigenetic changes might be linked to sleep apnea.
[00:09:53] Speaker A: Okay, that sounds complicated. What does that even mean?
[00:09:55] Speaker B: So basically, our genes are like a blueprint for our bodies.
[00:09:58] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:09:59] Speaker B: But our environment and lifestyle can change how those genes are expressed. Like turned on or off. That's what epigenetics is all about.
[00:10:06] Speaker A: So are you saying that a parent's experience with sleep apnea could somehow affect their kids health, even if their kids don't inherit the genes for it?
[00:10:14] Speaker B: That's what some scientists are exploring. It's a really complex area and we're just starting to understand how epigenetics plays a role in sleep apnea.
[00:10:22] Speaker A: It's mind blowing to think that our experiences could impact the health of generations to come. It makes dealing with sleep apnea even more important. Not just for ourselves, but for our kids and grandkids.
[00:10:34] Speaker B: Absolutely. It shows how interconnected our health really is and how we need to take a holistic approach to well being.
[00:10:41] Speaker A: This deep dive has been a real journey of discovery.
[00:10:44] Speaker B: I agree.
[00:10:45] Speaker A: And I hope our listeners feel like they've learned a lot and are ready to explore this topic more.
[00:10:50] Speaker B: Me too.
[00:10:51] Speaker A: There's still so much we don't know about sleep. But the more we learn, the better we can use that knowledge to help ourselves and future generations.
[00:10:58] Speaker B: Well said.
[00:10:59] Speaker A: We've uncovered so much about sleep apnea.
[00:11:02] Speaker B: Right. It's like a hidden problem.
[00:11:03] Speaker A: Yeah. And so many people don't even realize how serious it can be.
[00:11:07] Speaker B: Absolutely. A good night's sleep is so important.
[00:11:09] Speaker A: It really is the foundation for everything.
[00:11:11] Speaker B: Totally agree.
[00:11:12] Speaker A: And you know, it's interesting how this deep dive has connected all these different pieces of information.
[00:11:17] Speaker B: Yeah, like what do you mean?
[00:11:18] Speaker A: Well, remember those stats about adults in Miami Dade?
[00:11:21] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. Not enough sleep, no time for fun.
[00:11:24] Speaker A: Exactly. And now we're seeing how those trends could be tied back to sleep problems in childhood.
[00:11:30] Speaker B: Oh, wow. So it's like a long term thing.
[00:11:33] Speaker A: It makes you think about the bigger picture for sure. Like what if we could address sleep Apnea early on. Yeah, maybe. Those statistics would look a lot different. More adults getting enough sleep, more time for leisure, better mental health overall.
It's something to strive for.
[00:11:50] Speaker B: Definitely.
[00:11:51] Speaker A: And it all starts with awareness and education.
[00:11:53] Speaker B: Right. The more we know about sleep apnea.
[00:11:55] Speaker A: The better we can identify it, treat it, and prevent those long term consequences.
[00:12:00] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:12:01] Speaker A: So as we wrap up this deep dive.
[00:12:03] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:12:04] Speaker A: What are the key things you want our listeners to remember?
[00:12:07] Speaker B: Well, first and foremost, sleep apnea is serious, but it can be treated. If you see any signs in your child, talk to their doctor right away.
[00:12:16] Speaker A: Early intervention is so important.
[00:12:18] Speaker B: Huge. And it's not just about treating the symptoms, it's about finding the root cause.
[00:12:22] Speaker A: Like what's causing it in the first place.
[00:12:23] Speaker B: Yeah, right. Whether it's big tonsils, obesity, or something else, you got to tackle the underlying issue for a long term solution.
[00:12:30] Speaker A: Makes sense.
[00:12:31] Speaker B: And remember, sleep is a need, not a luxury.
[00:12:34] Speaker A: We all need it.
[00:12:36] Speaker B: Make it a priority for yourself and your family. You know, create a good sleep environment, set regular bedtimes and make time for rest.
[00:12:43] Speaker A: Great advice. And as we finish up, I want to leave our listeners with something to think about.
[00:12:48] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:12:49] Speaker A: We talked about how untreated sleep apnea could affect future generations through those epigenetic changes.
[00:12:55] Speaker B: Right. It's fascinating stuff.
[00:12:57] Speaker A: So what if we thought about addressing sleep apnea not just for our own health, but for the well being of future generations?
[00:13:04] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:13:04] Speaker A: Does that change how we view it? Does it make it seem more urgent, more important?
[00:13:09] Speaker B: That's a great question. It really makes you think about the bigger picture.
[00:13:12] Speaker A: Definitely.
[00:13:13] Speaker B: For me, it highlights how interconnected our health is and the responsibility we have, not just to ourselves, but to those who come after us.
[00:13:20] Speaker A: It's been an incredible journey exploring this topic.
[00:13:22] Speaker B: I agree. It's been a real eye opener and.
[00:13:24] Speaker A: I hope our listeners feel empowered to keep learning.
[00:13:27] Speaker B: Me too.
[00:13:28] Speaker A: There's still so much we don't know about sleep.
[00:13:30] Speaker B: Yeah, that's true.
[00:13:32] Speaker A: But every new discovery brings us closer to understanding its full potential for ourselves and for future generations.
[00:13:38] Speaker B: Well said. Sweet dreams, everyone.
[00:13:41] Speaker A: And thanks for joining us on the deep dive.
