Snoring in Children Linked to Low Grades

A large study of sleep-disordered breathing has shown that habitual snoring in children is associated with poor performance in math, science, and spelling. The findings were reported in the August 15, 2003, issue of The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Researchers amassed information on 1,129 primary students in Germany, of whom 410 (36.3%) never snored, 605 (53.6%) snored occasionally, 89 (7.9%) snored frequently, and 25 (2.2%) always snored. Snoring "always” was significantly associated with low grades in math, science, and spelling; while snoring "frequently” was significantly associated with low grades in math and spelling. The researchers assessed snoring and intermittent hypoxia using a parental questionnaire and nocturnal home oximetry. Children with intermittent hypoxia showed no independent link to poor academic performance, whereas children without intermittent hypoxia did show a significant relationship between snoring and poor grades.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Tuebingen (Germany), Hannover Medical School (Germany), and the University of Vienna (Austria). The researchers say this is the first study to show a clear biologic relationship between snoring frequency and the risk of poor academic performance.