Snoring is fairly common in children - nearly 20 per cent are snorers, reports the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.

If snoring isn't accompanied by other symptoms, children are considered to be healthy, but some snoring can be linked to a range of health issues.

No sweet dreams

Habitual snoring, where children have normal sleep patterns and don't suffer daytime drowsiness, is harmless.

However, two to three per cent of children who snore have obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). This occurs when the airway at the back of the mouth or nose is repeatedly blocked during sleep. If left undiagnosed and untreated, the disorder may lead to high blood pressure, delayed growth and learning problems.

During sleep our blood pressure falls and our pulse rate slows, however in OSAS sufferers the opposite happens. It's like being choked - blood pressure escalates, pulse rate quickens and oxygen in the blood begins to drop.

Research by the University of Michigan found regular child snorers were twice as likely as non-snorers to have hyperactivity and attention issues.

Sleep deprivation can also lead to a deficiency in the growth hormone, which could explain underdevelopment. In extreme cases the lack of oxygen to the brain can lead to high blood pressure, hypertension, stroke and heart disease.

Does my child have OSAS?

Here are a few indicators of the syndrome:

• Loud snoring, with disrupted sleep patterns, including pauses and difficulty breathing.
• Behavioural problems, such as a short attention span or learning difficulties.
• Snorts, gasps, choking or frequent mouth breathing during sleep.
• Hyponasal speech, which sounds like they're talking with a cold. 
• High blood pressure.

Silencing the snore:

If your child's snoring is a problem, here are some ways to help them:

• Maintain healthy weight range.
• Surgery may be required to remove large tonsils, adenoids or excess skin at the back of the throat to open up the air passage.
• A nasal mask worn at night is a form of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. This blows air into the upper airway, which may be a treatment option for persistent cases.