Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Symptoms of Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Researchers studied 866 children at two paediatric clinics and asked a simple question: are children who snore more likely to be hyperactive?

The answer was clear. Children who snored regularly were more than twice as likely to score high on hyperactivity scales — especially boys under 8. The more a child snored and showed signs of daytime sleepiness, the worse their attention and hyperactivity scores became.

What this study highlights is the overlap between ADHD symptoms and sleep-disordered breathing. A child who can't get proper rest at night because their airway is partially blocked will naturally be restless, unfocused, and emotionally dysregulated during the day. The researchers suggested that before any child is diagnosed with ADHD, their breathing and sleep should be assessed first — because the treatment for a blocked airway is very different from the treatment for a brain disorder.