A Ticklish Treatment for Baby with Sleep Apnea

Like many infants born prematurely, Benn Norris suffers from sleep apnea. Because sleep apnea treatment options for babies are limited, Benn’s mother, Sanchia Norris, employs a unique tactic to rouse her son when his breathing stops during sleep: tickling.

According to a Dec. 28 article in London’s The Daily Mail, a breathing monitor sounds an alarm when Benn’s respiration is interrupted. His mother then responds to restart his breathing.

“I have to stimulate him in some way to wake him up which kickstarts him into breathing again,” Sanchia Norris says in the article. “I either tickle him on the soles of his feet, or under his chin and on his stomach. It is enough to start him breathing again.”

Sleep apnea in premature newborns is often caused by weak or underdeveloped muscles that help maintain an open airway. Most infants with sleep apnea grow out of the condition; however the dangers of sleep apnea are life-threatening.

Treatment for infants with sleep apnea involves attentiveness and physical stimulation, such as the method used by Sanchia Norris. In extreme cases of infant sleep apnea, breathing machines may be used.

Common forms of treatment for adult sleep apnea—such as oral appliances or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices—are not viable options for babies.

If you or a loved one suffer from sleep apnea symptoms, a dentist who specializes in sleep apnea may be able to help determine the cause of your condition and recommend a safe and effective treatment.

Please contact us to locate a qualified sleep apnea dentist near you.

Untreated Sleep Apnea Poses Risks to Sufferers and Innocent People

Sleep disorders, and in particular obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), have received much media attention of late as an advisory panel to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently recommended sleep apnea screenings for commercial truck drivers and a new study indicated that nearly half of all police officers have symptoms of sleep disorders.

Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders pose health hazards to the individuals who suffer from them, but when they affect those who operate heavy machinery or work in the public service sector, innocent people can also be adversely impacted.

Many articles and much commentary surrounding sleep disorders and professions such as truck drivers and police focus on sleep apnea symptoms and risks. While it is certainly important to acknowledge these factors, it is also important to understand that there are a number of treatment options available that allow those with OSA to function safely and normally during their waking hours.

Sleep apnea treatment is not limited to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices. Although CPAP has proven effective at helping those with OSA maintain unobstructed airways, many patients find the CPAP masks uncomfortable and stop using the devices.

An increasing number of patients are successfully treating sleep apnea and other sleep disorders with the use of oral appliances. There are a number of dentists nationwide who specialize in sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment. A consultation with one of these dentists can help determine the cause of your sleep disorder and indicate the best treatment option for your individual condition.

If you believe you or a loved one suffers from sleep apnea or another sleep disorder, please contact a qualified sleep apnea dentist near you.

Social Support May Help Sleep Apnea Sufferers Stick to Treatment

Although the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device can be effective in treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), many people who try CPAP do not continue its use long-term.

Ongoing research being conducted at the Penn State College of Medicine, however, indicates that OSA sufferers are more likely to adhere to sleep apnea treatment if a partner or parent is actively involved. Researchers reviewed 80 studies regarding sleep apnea treatment to determine key factors that triggered patients to seek sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment, as well as circumstances that affected patients’ likelihood to stick to treatment.

“Collectively, these studies suggest that patients who experience difficulties and proactively seek solutions to resolve problems are more likely to be adherent than those who use passive coping styles,” states the report published in the December issue of Sleep Medicine Reviews. Researchers also noted that patients who have access to social support, such as a partner or parent, are more likely to adhere to treatment long-term.

While the research focuses primarily on CPAP use, their findings may be of use to those who seek other forms of sleep apnea treatment. Numerous studies on people with various forms of addiction or other physical health problems have found that individuals who have access to social support—including regular phone calls, group meetings, routine conversations with family or spouses, or scheduled appointments with doctors and other healthcare providers—have an increased likelihood of following through on their treatment.

If you believe you or a loved one suffers from sleep apnea symptoms, please contact a dentist near you who specializes in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. Left untreated, obstructive sleep apnea can lead to life-threatening health problems.

Teeth Grinding During Sleep can be Indicator of Sleep Apnea

Loud, chronic snoring is the symptom most commonly associated with sleep apnea.

But teeth grinding can also accompany obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep disorders. In addition to serving as a potential warning sign of sleep apnea, sleep-related bruxism—grinding your teeth while you sleep—can also lead to tooth and jaw problems.

Nighttime teeth grinding can cause premature wear on your teeth, as well as place excessive pressure on your jaw and the connective network of joints, muscles, tendons, nerves and bones between your jaw and your skull. According to a Dec. 6 CNN Health blog titled “Teeth-grinding could signal sleep problems,” early recognition of sleep-related bruxism could also prove helpful in diagnosing sleep disorders and allow for earlier treatment, which would reduce the risk of the dangerous health conditions associated with sleep apnea.

Teeth grinding during sleep occurs in approximately 14 to 17 percent of children, according to the blog, and seems to be hereditary. If sleep apnea or other sleep disorders also run in the family, sleep-related bruxism may warrant additional testing for OSA.

For some patients, treatment options such as custom-fit oral appliances can be effective in both maintaining a positive airway and eliminating teeth grinding.

If you experience snoring, teeth grinding or other symptoms of sleep apnea, please contact a dentist near you who specializes in sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment.

Sleep Apnea Diagnosis Can Make Health And Life Insurance Extremely Expensive. Insurance Agents Have Experienced Problems Insuring Clients

Sleep Apnea Diagnosis Can Make Health And Life Insurance Extremely Expensive. Insurance Agents Have Experienced Problems Insuring Clients Diagnosed With Sleep Apnea.

Adverse Insurance Ratings can be avoided by doing off the grid sleep studies.

Sleep Apnea is a dangerous problem that can lead to heart attacks, strokes, excessive daytime sleepiness, short-term memory loss and increases in motor vehicle accidents. It is essential to diagnose and treat sleep apnea. One study showed a 36% decrease in 8 year survival comparing treated and untreated sleep apnea. Learn more about the dangers of sleep apnea @ http://www.ihatecpap.com/sleep_apnea_dangers.html

A problem frequently experienced is that the cost of health, life and disability insurance policies can increase exponentially following diagnosis of sleep apnea. This is problematic for owners of small businesses and wealthy individuals who utilize life insurance to protect their estates.

Financially savvy patients are turning to off the record sleep studies. Patients pay for their sleep studies and treatment in cash to avoid any footprints of the diagnosis. Patient’s records may be identified only by numerical accounts or convenient name misspellings or addition of new names can protect patient’s identities. (Example Barack Obama could become Eric B Obama).

Cash payment secures patient privacy. HIPPA regulations theoretically protect our personal medical information. When obtaining new insurance you forfeit these HIPPA rights in order to qualify for coverage. Insurance benefits can be denied in the future if there is a record of undisclosed illness.

There are two primary treatments for sleep apnea, CPAP and Oral Appliances. Severe Sleep Apnea especially in morbidly obese patients is usually CPAP initially and an Oral Appliance for patients who don’t tolerate CPAP. Studies have shown that the majority of patients reject CPAP and prefer comfortable oral appliances when offered a choice of treatments. Learn more about Oral Appliance therapy for Sleep Apnea at http://www.ihatecpap.com.

Patients who are interested in off the grid sleep studies can contact Dr Ira L Shapira, a Gurnee, Il dentist who has been treating Sleep Apnea with oral appliances since the early 1980’s. As a Visiting Assistant Professor at Rush Medical Schools Sleep Center he did research on jaw position and Sleep Apnea.

Dr Shapira is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and practices Dental Sleep Medicine at Delany Dental Care in Gurnee and at Chicagoland Dental Sleep Medicine Associates in Skokie, Schaumburg and Vernon Hills. In Skokie his practice is located in American Sleep Medicine and in Vernon Hills he utilizes the office of Sleep and Behavioral Medicine.

http://www.delanydentalcare.com/sleep_apnea.html

http://www.chicagoland.ihatecpap.com/

Dr Shapira realizes the importance of accurate diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea but also understands the financial impact a diagnosis of sleep apnea can create. Working to create both value and privacy for his patients he arranges for off the grid sleep studies. Baseline studies are essential for diagnosis and titration sleep studies insure treatment efficacy. Post-treatment studies are essential for Oral Appliance Therapy and for CPAP therapy.

Special off the grid pricing has been arranged for Dr Shapira’s sleep patients desiring privacy. Contact Dr Shapira at 1-8-NO-PAP-MASK or at 847-623-5530 for more information on insuring your medical privacy.

Dr Shapira stresses that avoiding sleep studies can have serious medical consequences. Diagnosis and Treatment are the most important medical considerations.