Children who exhibit breathing problems and snoring when they sleep are likely to do poorer in school, a new study has revealed.
Experts led by Barbara Galland from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, conducted an analysis of data from 12 countries, which were collected from over 16 studies, according to Yahoo. The data in question involved over 550 children who were from the ages of five to 17.
The experts looked into any symptoms that suggested sleep breathing disorder (SBD), which covers snoring and sleep apnea. The experts also looked into the grades of the students based on the data from the schools or as discussed with the children's parents.
Their findings saw that children who have sleep disorders presented academic grades that are 12 percent lower than children who do not have any sleep breathing problems. Specifically, the experts looked into test scores in three subjects: language and arts, which was at least 12.3 percent lower, science, which was 11.6 percent lower, and math, which was 13.1 percent lower.
The researchers noted that snoring and breathing problems during sleep had little impact on a child's overall performance in school, yet the results on the specific subjects bear some concerns. "Few studies assessing core academic skills stated participants' performance were outside of the average range. However, our results do have implications for children not reaching their full academic potential," said Galland via New Zealand Herald.
Galland further noted that children with sleep breathing disorders may have problems focusing on school work, thereby eventually affecting their learning process. The condition may also be indicative of physical problems. "For other children, jaw alignment may contribute and dental treatment is being developed to address this. Other health factors such as obesity can also contribute to sleep-disordered breathing, another reason for developing effective approaches to address this complex health issue," said Galland in the Yahoo report.
The study also highlights how parents often fail to address SBD with their child's doctors, so the experts are stressing the need for parents and schools to see that this could be a growing problem.
In a previous study done in 2009, researchers said that SBD is common in at least one to four percent of school-age children. "If left untreated, SDB in children can lead to long term learning deficits, memory impairment, poor growth and risk for cardiovascular disease as well as mood disorders," the study concluded.
Galland and her team's study was published in the journal Pediatrics.
