Every individual spends approximately 1/3 of their life sleeping. It impacts all facets of our lives – from interacting with others to being creative in our day-to-day life. A poor sleep cycle can be incredibly detrimental to our physical health and our development, particularly for children.
In January, the Kids First OT therapists chatted with Kristy from Dr Levi’s, discussing all things relating to sleep, our airways, and breathing. Often, as therapists, we come across children who may have difficulties sleeping, regulating their emotions, impulsivity, and sustained attention. We wanted to explore further how breathing could impact all of these areas, and if it may be a reason why some of our clients may be having challenges with these areas.
Research indicates that the rise in breathing and sleeping difficulties may be linked to a growing prevalence of underdeveloped jaws. One contributing factor is the shift towards softer diets for young children. When a child’s jaw doesn’t develop properly, it can lead to malocclusion (misaligned teeth) and mouth breathing. Children who breathe through their mouths may struggle to settle down or fall asleep, as their sensitive nervous systems can enter a fight-or-flight state during the night. Additionally, some children who may be mouth breathers can have a history of reflux, asthma, or experience sleep challenges, such as only taking short naps (e.g., 30-minute intervals).
If our bodies nervous systems are constantly in fight or flight, we have difficulties accessing quality sleep. As noted on Dr Levi’s website, children who may require intervention may have the following presentation:
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ADD/ADHD
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Lower IQ
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Chronic allergies
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Aggressive behaviour
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Mouth breathing
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Swollen adenoids & tonsils
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Daytime drowsiness
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Crooked teeth
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Restless sleep
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Bedwetting
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Nightmares
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Dark circles under the eyes (referred to as ‘pooling’)
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Snoring
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Irritability
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Frequent headaches
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Delayed growth & development
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Difficulty in school
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Trouble concentrating
Treatment typically focuses on oral interventions, using appliances and therapy to reshape the jaw and expand the arches. This approach helps encourage healthy nasal breathing, strengthen the jaw and tongue muscles, improve swallowing and speech, and eliminate detrimental habits like thumb sucking and tongue thrusting. As a minimally invasive option, this treatment can lead to significant improvements in the issues mentioned above, including reduced behavioral problems, better engagement and focus in class, less daytime fatigue, and a decrease in bedwetting.
Additional information on this process and further research papers can be found on Dr Levi’s website.
Website: https://www.drlevis.com.au/
