The Definitive 12 Early Signs Your Child May Need an Airway Assessment

Parents: Mouth Breathing is a Disease—Not a Habit

Parent guide from Vilafortuny Clinic – Jumeirah, Dubai

If your child is a mouth breather (day or night), that alone is enough to book an airway & oral‑function assessment. Mouth breathing is linked to disturbed sleep, attention/behaviour changes often mistaken for ADHD, and altered face/jaw growth that leads to crowding. The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) advises that children who frequently snore should be evaluated, with sleep testing when indicated; the American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (AAPD) expects dental teams to screen and refer.

→ Book an Airway & Oral Function Screen at Vilafortuny Clinic, Jumeirah, Dubai.

The 12 Early Signs

1. Mouth open at rest

• • Often sits with lips apart (reading, screens). Enough reason to assess—mouth breathing is tied to changes in jaw/face growth and oral health.

2. Recurrent throat infections (tonsillitis/adenoiditis)

• • Frequent sore throats or enlarged tonsils/adenoids can narrow the airway and drive mouth-breathing—especially at night.

3. Stuffy or blocked nose most days

• • Chronic nasal congestion pushes mouth breathing and can set up a cycle of poor sleep and altered facial growth.

4. Underdeveloped face or jaw

• • A flatter midface, retrusive chin, or long lower face may reflect growth influenced by chronic mouth-breathing and low tongue posture.

5. Tongue between teeth (speech/eating)

• • An interdental ‘tongue thrust’ often travels with mouth breathing and low tongue posture—can affect bite development and crowding.

6. Avoids hard/chewy foods

• • A strong preference for very soft textures can signal low oral function or fatigue with chewing; coaching can help.

7. Hard to sit still / poor concentration (ADHD‑like)

• • Sleep‑disordered breathing (SDB) can look like ADHD; many children improve after airway treatment.

8. Bed‑wetting (nocturnal enuresis)

• • In some children, enuresis accompanies SDB and often improves after treating the airway.

9. Wakes unrefreshed / dry throat / dark circles

• • Poor‑quality sleep shows up as tired mornings, sore/dry throat, and ‘allergy‑looking’ eye circles—even if nights seemed quiet.

10. Early crowding: little/no spacing at ages 4–6

• • Lack of spacing can be a red flag—mouth breathing and low tongue posture are associated with malocclusion and altered growth.

11. Forward head or slumped posture

• • Kids may crane the head to open the airway; posture and breathing interact, reinforcing mouth‑breathing habits.

12. Snoring on most nights (still important)

• • Frequent snoring isn’t ‘normal’ in kids and should be evaluated; sleep testing (polysomnography) is indicated in the right cases.

ADHD look‑alike: don’t miss the airway piece

Sleep‑disordered breathing can present as inattention, hyperactivity, mood swings and ‘can’t sit still.’ Medical studies show ADHD‑type symptoms typically improve after treating SDB. Screening the airway first helps avoid mis‑diagnosis.

Bed‑wetting & breathing

If your child still wets the bed, consider the airway. Multiple studies report significant improvement in enuresis after treating paediatric OSA in appropriate cases.

What parents can do this week

• Observe for 7 nights: note mouth‑open sleep, restlessness, snoring, gasps/pauses.
• Daytime photos: two candid shots during quiet activities—are the lips open? tongue low?
• Nasal‑first routine: earlier bedtime, consistent sleep/wake times; add gentle nasal hygiene if appropriate.
• Validated screening tool: ask your clinician about the Paediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) to help triage risk if formal sleep testing isn’t immediate.

When to book an assessment now

• Snoring ≥3 nights/week or witnessed pauses/gasps
• Inattention/behaviour issues plus mouth‑open posture
• Chronic nasal blockage with mouth breathing
• Early crowding (no spacing at 4–6 years) or tongue‑thrust swallow
• Bed‑wetting with other airway signs

How Vilafortuny Clinic (Jumeirah, Dubai) supports families

• Airway & Oral Function Screen (30 min): lip/tongue posture, nasal airflow checks, chew/swallow pattern, PSQ where helpful.
• Hygiene & habits coaching: personalised routines for nasal care, sleep regularity, and cavity prevention.
• Orthodontic‑therapy support: function‑first approaches that support healthier growth.
• Co‑managed care: fast referral pathways to ENT, Paediatrics, and Sleep Medicine.

What parents can do

If your child has any of the symptoms or habits above, please complete our MyOSA® Sleep Questionnaire and send it to us. Our specialist team will review it and advise you on the next steps.

FAQ (for parents in Dubai)

• • Is snoring normal in children?No—frequent snoring should be evaluated; sleep testing (polysomnography) is the gold standard when indicated.

2. Could ‘hyper’ behaviour be sleep‑related?

• • Yes—sleep‑disordered breathing can mimic ADHD; many children improve after airway treatment.

3. Why does a dentist screen for breathing?

• • Because mouth breathing affects face/jaw growth and oral health; dental teams screen and coordinate referral to ENT/Pediatrics/Sleep Medicine.

Reputable sources

AAP Clinical Practice Guideline (Paediatrics): Children who frequently snore should be evaluated; polysomnography is the gold standard when indicated. (link)link

AAPD Policy on Paediatric OSA: Dentists should screen and refer; paediatric OSA linked to cardiovascular, growth, learning, and behaviour complications. (link)link

Paediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ): Validated scales for childhood SDB symptoms and behaviour (ATS summary). (link)link

Mouth breathing & craniofacial growth (systematic review). (link)link

Impact of mouth breathing on dentofacial development (review). (link)link

ADHD symptoms improve after SDB treatment (meta‑analysis). (link)link

Enuresis improves after paediatric OSA treatment. (link)link

© Vilafortuny Medical & Training Centre – Jumeirah, Dubai | This guide is educational and does not replace medical advice.