from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- n. Temporary absence or cessation of breathing.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. The cessation of breathing.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- n. transient cessation of respiration.
- n. Partial privation or suspension of breath; suffocation; same as apnea.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In pathology, partial privation or suspension of respiration; want of breath.
- n. See apnæa.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- n. transient cessation of respiration
The term apnea is derived from the Greek word meaning "without breath."
Sleep apnea is when breathing is interrupted repeatedly, disrupting the quality of sleep and leading to daytime fatigue.
When apnea is treated, negative intrathoracic pressure is reversed, acid stays in the stomach and stress hormone levels decline, allowing for easier weight loss.
In children, the most common cause of obstructive sleep apnea is enlarged tonsils and adenoids.
The treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is based on its cause.
Sleep apnea is more common in children who are overweight; however, some children with enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids may even be underweight.
Childhood obstructive sleep apnea is most commonly found in children between 2 and 6 years of age, but can occur at any age.
"Here's where I ask one of my rude questions: Is the word apnea being avoided because people don't associate it with 'dying', but recognize the term as covering a variety of treatable conditions?"
• Sleep apnea, which is interrupted breathing while sleeping, is one of the most severe problems overweight children face.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when a child stops breathing during sleep.