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Natural history of snoring and other sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) symptoms in 7-year-old New Zealand children: a follow-up from age 3

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Abstract

Purpose

We aimed to examine the natural history of snoring and associated symptoms in a community sample of New Zealand children at ages 3 and 7 years, and identify factors associated with habitual snoring at age 7 years.

Methods

Parent/s of children (n = 839) who completed the community survey about their child’s sleep and breathing at age 3 years were re-contacted via mail 4 years later when children were aged 7 years. Parents were asked to complete a follow-up questionnaire which included items relating to their child’s sleep and health, and family demographic information. There was a 54.8 % (n = 460) response rate.

Results

At follow-up, habitual snoring was prevalent in 9.2 % of the sample, similar to the 11.3 % reported at age 3 years. However, habitual snoring status changed over time; 36.2 % (n = 21/58) remained habitual snorers; 63.8 % (n = 37/58) were no longer snoring habitually, while 5.3 % (n = 21/397) had started habitual snoring since the initial survey. Overall, the reported severity of SDB-related symptoms decreased over time, regardless of initial habitual snoring status. Nonetheless, habitual snoring at follow-up was significantly associated with mouth breathing, sleeping with the neck extended, sweating profusely, night waking, and parent-reported child irritability.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the dynamic nature of SDB, where habitual snoring and related symptoms can develop, remain present, or resolve at different times, over early–mid-childhood years. Given the dynamic nature of habitual snoring over the early childhood years, pediatricians should continue to screen for snoring and sleep apnea on an annual basis throughout childhood.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the research assistance of Carmen Lobb and thank all the children and families who participated in this study. This research was supported by the HS and JC Anderson Charitable Trust. Rebekah Luo was supported by a Freemasons New Zealand Fellowship in Pediatrics and Child Health and the Dunbar Scholarship from the Dunedin School of Medicine.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand

    Rebekah Luo, Amelia I. Gill & Barbara C. Galland

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand

    Elizabeth Schaughency

  3. Division of Surgical Sciences, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand

    Patrick J. D. Dawes

Authors
  1. Rebekah Luo
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  2. Elizabeth Schaughency
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  3. Amelia I. Gill
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  4. Patrick J. D. Dawes
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  5. Barbara C. Galland
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Barbara C. Galland.

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Luo, R., Schaughency, E., Gill, A.I. et al. Natural history of snoring and other sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) symptoms in 7-year-old New Zealand children: a follow-up from age 3. Sleep Breath 19, 977–985 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-014-1113-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-014-1113-7

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