A restricted airway may be affecting your child's health

MESA, Ariz. – For most people, breathing is automatic – the air goes in, the air goes out and they don’t even think about it. But for those who have airway problems, it is never that simple – especially for children.

“Children who suffer from air-passage problems never get enough oxygen to the brain, which causes them to never get enough sleep,” Dr. Stuart Frost, an orthodontist and author of “The Artist Orthodontist: Creating An Artistic Smile is More Than Just Straightening Teeth.” “They typically do poorly in school and seem inattentive and lethargic.”

Sleep apnea occurs when the airway bec...