A simple nose spray could be the solution to snoring and breathing difficulties in children.
A new study led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, which was published in JAMA Pediatrics, has found that a saline (salt water) nasal spray is just as effective as sprays containing anti-inflammatory steroids at easing snoring and breathing difficulties in children.
The randomised-controlled “MIST” trial of the sprays involved 276 children, aged 3-12 years, and was carried out at The Royal Children’s Hospital and Monash Children’s Hospital.
“Nasal sprays work by cleaning the nose and/or reducing inflammation not just in the nose but all the way down the back of the throat to the adenoids and tonsillar tissue to alleviate the symptoms,” Murdoch Children’s Dr Alice Baker said.
Snoring and breathing difficulties during sleep affect about 12% of children and can cause significant long-term issues impacting cognitive function, behaviour and cardiovascular health.
Murdoch Children’s Associate Professor Kirsten Perrett says the study found a substantial number of children with sleep-disordered breathing could initially be managed by their GP and may not require referral to specialist services as currently recommended.
“A large proportion of children who snore and have breathing difficulties could be managed successfully by their primary care physician, using six weeks of an intranasal saline spray as a first-line treatment,” she said.
“Using this cheaper and readily available treatment would increase the quality of life of these children.”
As tonsillectomy is commonly used to treat children’s snoring, Associate Parrett adds that this alternatively could also help to “reduce the burden on specialist services, decrease surgery waiting times and reduce hospital costs”.
For more, visit: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2800548
