Dark circles around the eyes
It’s Written All Over Their Faces: Signs Your Child Could Have Airway Obstruction & Allergies
- Dark circles under the eyes, “Allergic Shiners”, are an indication of allergy / airway problems.
- Mouth breathing alters proper facial growth and leads to a narrow face and narrow upper and lower jaw (Crowded teeth)
- Small Nose from lack of nasal breathing
- “Tired eyes” from lack of proper sleep and reduced oxygenation.
- Long facial pattern due to open mouth posture
- Open Mouth posture can lead to tongue thrust and open bite malocclusion.
- “Bags under the eyes” is an indication of lack of venous drainage and venous pooling (blood pooling of the veins around the eyes). Also note the “squinting of the eyes” (‘tired eyes’).
- Dennie’s Sign/Fold is the radiating lines under the eyes. This is a diagnostic sign of allergy.
- The “Allergic Salute” & The Transverse Nasal Crease. Constant “wiping of the nose” in order to open the nose in a patient with allergies can cause a transverse nasal crease to develop across the base of the nose.
- Flattened areas on the face related to sinus development.
Sleep disorders in children can lead to problems such as daytime sleepiness, delayed growth, misdiagnosed ADD/ADHD and even bed wetting. Constant mouth breathing can lead to altered growth of the face and result in certain types of malocclusions (bite problems). What’s more, obstructed sleep can lead to long-term health problems such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes and stroke.
How do you know if your child has a sleep disorder? Some signs are obvious: snoring, gasping for breath at night, or even short periods in which breathing stops altogether. Airway obstruction is usually the culprit and you can often tell if there’s a problem just by observing your child’s face. Here are some signs to look for; if your child exhibits any of these, it’s important to see a healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.
underlying causes
Epigenetic factors
Underdeveloped Upper and Lower Jaws
Underdeveloped Upper and Lower Jaws
- Bottle feeding
- soft baby food
- Thumb sucking
- pacifier usage
- allergies
- tongue habits.
Epigenetics is the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work. Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible.
Underdeveloped Upper and Lower Jaws
Underdeveloped Upper and Lower Jaws
Underdeveloped Upper and Lower Jaws
- Retracted maxilla
- Poor airway
- Weak oro-facial muscles
- Weak tongue, low tongue position
- Genetics
Obstructive sleep apnea is a craniofacial problem. Dental crowding by definition means that your upper and lower jaws are underdeveloped. This creates less total volume inside your mouth, leading to overcrowding of your tongue.
Lack of nasal breathing
Underdeveloped Upper and Lower Jaws
Lack of nasal breathing
- Mouth breathing
- Enlarged tonsils/adenoids
- Asthma, Allergies
- Birth abnormalities
- Tongue tie
- Reverse swallow
The roof of the mouth is the floor of the nose. narrow palate results in narrow nasal passage and increased nasal airway resistance