Sleep and Breathing in Children
The importance of getting quality sleep for a growing child is vital to their optimal physical and mental growth and development. There are many important rejuvenation processes that occur during a proper deep sleep cycle, and it is during deep sleep when a child’s natural human growth hormone (a hormone critical to proper development and restoration) is released. If a child is not getting a sufficient amount of deep sleep, the body’s ability to release growth hormone may be significantly compromised.
Proper airway structure and function are key to achieving the level of restorative sleep necessary for the body to carry out the foundational processes needed for successful development. If your child is experiencing unexplainable physical, emotional, or developmental challenges, the answer may lie in the quality of their sleep. Our team is specially trained to evaluate adolescent sleep patterns and create tailored plans to improve breathing, airway, and sleep quality. Our holistic approach addresses and treats every factor that impacts whole-body health to ultimately restore this key ingredient of your child’s health.
Compared to our ancestors, our jaws, skull and airway are much smaller and more constricted. Humans are now the only species whose teeth no longer fit in their mouths; they may grow in crooked, necessitating orthodontics and the removal of teeth. A smaller mouth and obstructed nose also make it harder to breathe. This is an epidemic brought upon ourselves by our modern culture and standard American diet. We just assume that our kids will need braces and wisdom teeth out, or don’t think twice about medicating our kids for ADHD, high blood pressure, and obesity. Why is this? As humans, we have evolved into a smarter species but are de-evolving into an unhealthier species. Let’s work together to take back our health and help your child become a Breath.Grow.Thrive. Kid!
4 Key Principles to Our Overall Health
What are the stats?
Currently in America, statistics show that over 40 million children suffer from a sleep breathing disorder and up to 10% are diagnosed with ADHD. Further, 8 out of 10 kids require orthodontic treatment and the removal of their wisdom teeth because their teeth don’t come in straight. A lack of oxygen and adequate deep sleep can delay a child’s cognitive and physical development.
Uncovering Health Issues in Your Child
The following list contains warning signs that something is wrong and your child may be experiencing abnormal sleep and breathing. There’s a common misconception that your child will outgrow these symptoms but research indicates otherwise. Unless there is intervention to correct these harmful habits at an early age, then the first health domino has fallen triggering a cascade of chronic disease.
Mouth breathing | Snoring | Teeth Grinding | ADD/ADHD | Door Performance in School | Bedwetting | Restless Sleep | Allergies | Asthma | Swollen Tonsils and/or Adenoids Irritability | Crooked Teeth | Dark Circles Under The Eyes | Speech Issues | Gag Reflex | Troubles swallowing
The Good News!
The Breathe.Grow.Thrive method has been designed to promote the proper growth and development of the jaw and airway to optimize airflow and promote proper nasal breathing while straightening your child’s teeth. As these areas develop many of the symptoms of Sleep Disordered Breathing disappear. When kids can breathe properly, they can begin to learn, grow, and blossom into their true genetic potential.
What are the stats?
Currently in America, statistics show that over 40 million children suffer from a sleep breathing disorder and up to 10% are diagnosed with ADHD. Further, 8 out of 10 kids require orthodontic treatment and the removal of their wisdom teeth because their teeth don’t come in straight. A lack of oxygen and adequate deep sleep can delay a child’s cognitive and physical development.
Uncovering Health Issues in Your Child
The following list contains warning signs that something is wrong and your child may be experiencing abnormal sleep and breathing. There’s a common misconception that your child will outgrow these symptoms but research indicates otherwise. Unless there is intervention to correct these harmful habits at an early age, then the first health domino has fallen triggering a cascade of chronic disease.
Mouth breathing | Snoring | Teeth Grinding | ADD/ADHD | Door Performance in School | Bedwetting | Restless Sleep | Allergies | Asthma | Swollen Tonsils and/or Adenoids Irritability | Crooked Teeth | Dark Circles Under The Eyes | Speech Issues | Gag Reflex | Troubles swallowing
The Good News!
The Breathe.Grow.Thrive method has been designed to promote the proper growth and development of the jaw and airway to optimize airflow and promote proper nasal breathing while straightening your child’s teeth. As these areas develop many of the symptoms of Sleep Disordered Breathing disappear. When kids can breathe properly, they can begin to learn, grow, and blossom into their true genetic potential.
Breathe.Grow.Thrive.
Treatment for Children
Harness the Body’s Growth Potential
Starting treatment on kids at an early age (3-5) is optimal to enhance the growth potential of the jaws, airway and to create space for the adult teeth to come in. Kids are so much fun to treat because their bodies are growing and they don’t have a lifetime of bad habits to correct. If we can harness their true growth potential and intervene with holistic measures, we are giving your child the greatest gift of health we can: a healthy airway. We now know why adults have TMJ, sleep apnea and crooked teeth, so our goal is to ensure your child doesn’t go down that path.
Jaw Growth Correction
The Breathe.Grow.Thrive solution is to help guide the growth of the jaw structure, develop the airway and create enough room for the teeth to come in. The tongue is the primary tool that naturally guides the growth of our face. Your child will be screened to see if a tongue or lip tie is hindering growth. If a functional assessment shows the tongue or lip tie is tethered and restrictive, then a tie release (frenuloplasty) using a CO2 LightScalpel laser will be performed Myofunctional Therapy can help teach your child to keep their lips together, tongue against the roof of the mouth, and breathe out of the nose.
We use removable and fixed appliances to further help with jaw expansion. This is often called phase 1 of orthodontics. By intervening with treatment early in life, our goal is to minimize the need for lengthy orthodontic treatment or the need to have teeth removed. If needed, a phase 2 of orthodontics is usually less invasive and can be done with braces or Invisalign. We also screen for inflamed tonsils and adenoids, which can cause mouth breathing, narrow jaws, ADHD, and crooked teeth.
Holistic Solutions
Part of the Breath.Grow.Thrive. method is to teach each parent the link between our teeth, real food, and the healing power of proper breathing. Epigenetics means we have the power to influence our genes in a positive or negative way by our lifestyle choices. Yes, jaw expansion is vital, but the key lies in developing the whole body and mind for life-changing natural health. We are advocates for nutrient-rich, bone-building diets, exercise, movement, proper breathing and adequate deep sleep. These help minimize inflammation in the body and allow the development of the child to THRIVE. As a parent, you are not alone on this journey. We will help guide and teach you these foundational building blocks.
Collaborative Care
We believe in a team approach and lean on other specialists to help deliver the best care for your child. We have worked to put together a team of like-minded practitioners such as an airway focused ENT, Myofunctional Therapist, Chiropractor, Physical Therapist, Nutritionist, Sleep Physician, and Speech Therapist among others. We will guide you as needed with these recommendations.
Breathe.Grow.Thrive. Treatment for Children
Harness the Body’s Growth Potential
Starting treatment on kids at an early age (3-5) is optimal to enhance the growth potential of the jaws, airway and to create space for the adult teeth to come in. Kids are so much fun to treat because their bodies are growing and they don’t have a lifetime of bad habits to correct. If we can harness their true growth potential and intervene with holistic measures, we are giving your child the greatest gift of health we can: a healthy airway. We now know why adults have TMJ, sleep apnea and crooked teeth, so our goal is to ensure your child doesn’t go down that path.
Jaw Growth Correction
The Breathe.Grow.Thrive solution is to help guide the growth of the jaw structure, develop the airway and create enough room for the teeth to come in. The tongue is the primary tool that naturally guides the growth of our face. Your child will be screened to see if a tongue or lip tie is hindering growth. If a functional assessment shows the tongue or lip tie is tethered and restrictive, then a tie release (frenuloplasty) using a CO2 LightScalpel laser will be performed Myofunctional Therapy can help teach your child to keep their lips together, tongue against the roof of the mouth, and breathe out of the nose.
We use removable and fixed appliances to further help with jaw expansion. This is often called phase 1 of orthodontics. By intervening with treatment early in life, our goal is to minimize the need for lengthy orthodontic treatment or the need to have teeth removed. If needed, a phase 2 of orthodontics is usually less invasive and can be done with braces or Invisalign. We also screen for inflamed tonsils and adenoids, which can cause mouth breathing, narrow jaws, ADHD, and crooked teeth.
Holistic Solutions
Part of the Breath.Grow.Thrive. method is to teach each parent the link between our teeth, real food, and the healing power of proper breathing. Epigenetics means we have the power to influence our genes in a positive or negative way by our lifestyle choices. Yes, jaw expansion is vital, but the key lies in developing the whole body and mind for life-changing natural health. We are advocates for nutrient-rich, bone-building diets, exercise, movement, proper breathing and adequate deep sleep. These help minimize inflammation in the body and allow the development of the child to THRIVE. As a parent, you are not alone on this journey. We will help guide and teach you these foundational building blocks.
Collaborative Care
We believe in a team approach and lean on other specialists to help deliver the best care for your child. We have worked to put together a team of like-minded practitioners such as an airway focused ENT, Myofunctional Therapist, Chiropractor, Physical Therapist, Nutritionist, Sleep Physician, and Speech Therapist among others. We will guide you as needed with these recommendations.
Breathe to Thrive Method
Location
Herre Holistic Dental KC
11201 Nall Avenue
Suite 120
Leawood, KS 66211
Hours
Monday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Tuesday: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Wednesday: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Thursday: 7:00am - 3:00pm
Tuesday: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Wednesday: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Thursday: 7:00am - 3:00pm
