Study shows link between children snoring and behavior problems - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

Eau Claire (WQOW) - A new study shows that children who snore during sleep are more likely to develop behavior problems.

Experts say it's a common misconception that snoring means you're in a deep sleep. It is actually a sign that your airway is being blocked. A new study in the journal Pediatrics found that kids with severe snoring problems had a seventy-two percent increase in the risk of developing behavioral issues by the age of 7. While adults tend to slow down due to a lack of sleep, children are different.

"With children, paradoxically, they will tend to get hyperactive later in the day. And I will frequently have parents tell me that with their kids who snore habitually, that they tend to be very hyperactive and difficult to control later in the day, particularly in the afternoon," said Dr. Richard Crane, MD at Western Wisconsin Ear, Nose & Throat.

Dr. Crane says, in most children, enlarged tonsils and adenoids are to blame for snoring and can be removed through surgery. However, allergies and infections can also cause blockage that leads to snoring.