The child's mouth is open at night. Why does a child constantly keep his mouth open: possible reasons. What can be done in this situation

Hello, Oksana.

Of course, in some cases, situations like yours are not a cause for alarm. Some doctors say that an open mouth in children under four years of age is quite normal phenomenon, and not a cause for concern. In young children, an open mouth may be associated with pacifier abuse, when children, after the pacifier is removed, for a long time out of habit, they keep their mouth slightly open. However, I would not say that this is exactly the case for all children, since all cases must be approached purely individually, so if you notice that the child is with his mouth open for a long time during wakefulness, then this is a reason to visit a doctor . Unfortunately, it is very difficult to independently determine the cause of this phenomenon, since there can be several reasons for a child’s open mouth.

Firstly, the child may have his mouth open if he has difficulty nasal breathing. This could be a stuffy nose, such as colds in the nasopharynx, or allergic reactions, but the most common cause of an open mouth in a child is adenoids, namely those cases when adenoid tissue grows, which partially blocks the nasopharynx, thereby making nasal breathing difficult. In addition to difficulties with nasal breathing, adenoids can cause a child to speak poorly, and in children with adenoids even the shape of the face changes; for example, there is such a thing as an adenoid face. For an accurate diagnosis, a visit to an otolaryngologist is necessary.

Another reason that a child's mouth is constantly open may be a malocclusion, which makes it very difficult for the child to keep his mouth closed for a long period of time. Also, one of the reasons that a child’s mouth is constantly open may be weakness of the orbicularis oris muscle. For treatment, it is necessary to do special exercises with the child to strengthen the facial muscles, for example, facial gymnastics. However, in some cases it may be necessary to massage the facial muscles

In rare cases, a child’s constantly open mouth indicates the presence of mental illness.

You can see for yourself that there are many reasons why a child is left with his mouth open for a long period of time. Of course, I am not saying that there is anything wrong with your child, but it is best to consult a doctor. Most often, in such cases, it helps to consult an otolaryngologist, if there are problems with nasal breathing, or to an orthodontist, if we are talking about a malocclusion.

Additionally

Many parents are constantly worried about the health of their long-awaited baby, especially if the child is the first-born in the family. They are often tormented by questions: does the baby cry too much, does he spit up often, is he gaining weight well, is he growing quickly, is he sleeping enough.

Healthy sleep, along with good nutrition, is vital for a person. This statement is doubly true when it comes to a little man. To provide harmonious development baby, you need to establish a sleep schedule. A caring mother rocks her newborn for hours, listens to the breathing of the sleeping baby, and approaches the crib many times. It happens that a mother suddenly notices that the child is sleeping with his mouth open. The question inevitably arises in her mind: is this normal?

Sometimes newborns sleep with their head open, which greatly frightens young parents.

Some parents may immediately consult a doctor, while others will try to figure out why this is happening on their own. Advice from relatives and friends, online forums, and articles by the famous pediatrician Komarovsky come to the rescue. Often, loved ones try to allay the fears of new parents. Having heard that a friend’s child is also snoring funny with his mouth slightly open, the mother may lose her vigilance.

How should a healthy baby sleep?

Compared to adults and older children, a baby's muscles are in increased tone. During sleep, the newborn assumes the position it occupied before birth. Up to three months healthy baby sleeps lying on his back, with his limbs half-bent and he breathes through his nose.

If a baby's mouth is slightly open in a dream, this does not always mean that its nose is not breathing. Perhaps the baby simply tilted his head back very strongly and the orbicularis oris muscles relaxed. To understand whether this is so, just listen. If we don’t hear sniffling, the baby’s nose really isn’t breathing.

How can improper breathing be dangerous?

In infants, the capillary network is located on the surface of the oral mucosa and can easily be damaged small particles dust. The immune system the baby is still immature, because bacterial infection can easily penetrate a tiny organism.

Dust, which inevitably accumulates in any apartment, can cause infection by entering the baby’s lungs through the mouth.

Thanks to the structure of the nasal passages, cold air is warmed before entering the bronchi. In addition, the ciliated epithelium of the nasal mucosa retains dust and pollen, protecting the baby from developing asthma. The mucus produced in the nasal passages traps and partially destroys bacteria.

When a person breathes through the mouth, cold, polluted air enters the bronchi. To prevent the development respiratory diseases, parents should make sure that the baby is breathing properly.

If a child breathes only through his mouth all the time, he experiences oxygen starvation, which leads to suppression of brain activity and the development of anemia. The baby becomes weak, lethargic and apathetic, and may subsequently lag behind in intellectual and physical development. Such children get sick much more often than their peers due to weakened immunity. If a newborn breathes through his mouth, his voice becomes nasal and monotonous (we recommend reading:). The child loses the ability to perceive smells and suffers from lack of appetite.

Why does the baby breathe through his mouth?

The reasons need to be identified as quickly as possible. They can be harmless and easily eliminated, or serious. The most common:

• Physiological rhinitis in a newborn. After birth, a person moves from an aquatic habitat to an air one. For some time, the mucous membrane adapts to new conditions and secretes more mucus than necessary. In addition, the nasal passages of infants are much narrower than those of adults. As a result, the baby does not breathe through his nose for some time - he has to breathe with his mouth open.

One of the reasons for nasal congestion may be physiological rhinitis, which is associated with the structural features of the nasal passages of newborns.

• Unfavorable climatic conditions in the nursery. Low or high air humidity, gas pollution, dust in the room, and infrequent ventilation can lead to swelling of the baby’s delicate mucous membrane and the formation of crusts, which interfere with breathing through the nose.
• Infections respiratory tract And allergic runny nose . Infectious diseases increase the viscosity of mucus. Infant does not know how to blow his nose and therefore does not breathe well through his nose, not only during sleep, but also during wakefulness.
• Adenoiditis. Excessive enlargement of the nasopharyngeal tonsil occurs even in infants. This is usually preceded by infectious diseases - diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, scarlet fever. Impaired nasal breathing and persistent runny nose are one of the main symptoms of enlarged adenoids. If the baby constantly breathes incorrectly, his appearance changes: the bite is disturbed, upper jaw steps forward. The facial expression becomes meaningless - the lower jaw droops, the nasolabial folds are smoothed out. With time rib cage deformed, becoming keeled or “chicken-shaped”. Due to the enlargement of the tonsil, blood circulation in the nasal mucosa is disrupted, which contributes to the development of chronic rhinitis and sinusitis. Complex respiratory diseases may develop - sore throat, tracheitis, laryngitis. Often the child develops anemia. The sleep of such children is restless, the child snores, and headaches often occur. Parents notice that the child’s memory has deteriorated and the baby has become absent-minded.
• Dental problems.

What to do?

If you notice that your newborn often or always sleeps with his mouth open, consult your pediatrician as soon as possible. Reading Komarovsky's articles and advice from experienced mothers does not replace the need to visit specialists.

• It may be quite enough to change the baby’s sleeping position by placing a diaper folded several times under the head.
• Physiological rhinitis can be treated by rinsing the nose with saline and removing excess mucus using an aspirator.
• To eliminate the problem, you may need to adjust the microclimate in the nursery: ventilate more often, carry out wet cleaning, clear the room of soft toys(they accumulate dust), create optimal temperature– about 20 degrees.
• If the reason improper breathing caused by a disease, in addition to washing the nose with saline, the doctor may prescribe vasoconstrictors.
• For bacterial or viral infection the specialist will prescribe appropriate therapy.
• If nasal swelling is caused by allergies, medications will be used to eliminate the symptoms of this disease, and a diet may be prescribed. Often allergies are caused by pets, in which case you may need to get rid of them.

Under no circumstances should you listen to advice that there is no need to treat adenoids, as if the child will “outgrow it.” The decision on treatment methods for adenoiditis is made solely by the otolaryngologist. The doctor will prescribe surgery or conservative treatment depending on the size of the adenoids and the degree of respiratory impairment of the child.

For a speedy recovery it is necessary Fresh air. In the absence of temperature and good weather (warm, no precipitation, no strong wind) you can and even need to go for a walk with your child. Walking helps your baby get rid of swelling and recover faster. But if the cause of nasal congestion is an allergy to pollen or other impurities in the air, you should refrain from walking if possible.

If the baby's mouth is always open, this becomes a real problem that worries parents. In addition to the fact that it is not aesthetically pleasing, this manner is a source of complications in the future, including: abnormal development of the nasopharynx, facial disharmony, and malocclusion. You should not ignore the problem, hoping for it to disappear on its own, but immediately begin to determine its cause.

Reasons for a constantly open mouth

ENT diseases are the main culprits constantly open mouth The child has. Why is this habit formed? Adenoids, sinusitis, sinusitis, otitis make nasal breathing difficult. This problem sometimes remains even after removal of the pathologically enlarged nasopharyngeal tonsil. In this case it is required additional diagnostics to prevent relapse.

Nasal polyps cause the child to open his mouth frequently (see also:). Mucosal proliferation is often associated with congenital anomaly nasal septum or allergies. The operation eliminates the formation, but not its cause. It is necessary to promptly treat infectious diseases of the nasopharynx, preventing them from becoming chronic.

If your child's mouth is constantly open, it may be due to dental problems. Caries and deformation of tooth enamel contribute to malocclusion in a child, which leads to incorrect positioning of teeth and tongue. The baby's jaw shape changes, which leads to difficulties with nasal breathing.

The problem of a constantly open mouth is often associated with finger sucking and pacifier abuse. infancy. holding foreign objects disrupts the normal development of muscles, which is why they are formed in accordance with this habit. If this condition is ignored, the child cannot close his lips, and his tongue falls out during speech.

The habit of keeping your mouth open can develop from constant pacifier or finger sucking in infancy.

A child's constantly open mouth is sometimes a consequence of insufficient development orbicularis muscles– dense fibers that frame the lips. Reduced tone of these tissues at a young age is the norm. This problem should not be a concern, as it disappears after some time without outside intervention.

The baby's mouth may be open due to short bridle language (we recommend reading: ). If the processes of breathing and speech are disrupted, the child gradually gets used to keeping his mouth open. The problem is easily fixed with surgery. It is necessary to carry out the surgical procedure as early as possible, before the baby develops a strong habit.

Pathological cases are when an open mouth is accompanied by strong salivation and a protruded tongue. These symptoms indicate neurological disorders: muscle hypertonicity or severe damage to the central nervous system. It is necessary to immediately contact a specialist for diagnosis and treatment.

Parents may have a question: why is the child’s mouth constantly open if no pathologies have been identified? Often this manner is a consequence of an adopted bad habit.

If, for example, before the age of 5, a child did not have a deviation in the form of a constantly open mouth, then this most often indicates that the child is copying someone else’s behavior. Perhaps he is watching a baby or imitating a dog panting.

In this case, you need to monitor the child, paying attention to the time of occurrence of the disorder: whether it lasts from the first months of life or appeared recently. Perhaps it occurs only in certain circumstances, with surprise or concentration. They also take into account how the child breathes - through the mouth or nose.

What is the danger of not breathing through your nose?

Mouth breathing disrupts the functioning of the entire body. A person should always inhale air through the nose, since this mechanism ensures the sanitation and warming of air masses entering the body. In this case, brain receptors are activated, triggering the processes of blood gas exchange and nutrition internal organs oxygen.

If a child's mouth is constantly open, he or she gets colds more often; the disease is more difficult to treat. Due to insufficient oxygen supply to the brain, the baby develops anxiety and restlessness. Such a patient has interrupted sleep, which makes him absent-minded and restless. Problems with posture and speech gradually develop, which makes it difficult to communicate with peers.

If the baby does not close his mouth, his bite is disturbed. Normally, the tongue rests on lower jaw, which ensures its normal development. When breathing through the mouth, it forms more slowly, which over time leads to disharmony of the oval of the face. Such patients are distinguished by a retracted chin and increased grinding upper teeth lower dentition.

Lack of nasal breathing leads to an incorrect open bite

Constant nasal breathing leads to deformation of the entire face, which is expressed in the following disorders:

• drooping head and the appearance of a double chin;
• narrowing of the nasal passages with simultaneous expansion of the bridge of the nose;
• inability to close lips;
• flat facial features.

What should parents do if their baby's mouth is always open?

Before you see a doctor, you need to check how your baby is breathing. Perhaps he only opens his mouth when interesting conversation or when watching cartoons. You should close each nostril in turn and ask him to breathe through his nose on the mirror. A large foggy spot indicates a deep inhalation of air, and the mouth opens only due to inattention.

If the cause of constant mouth breathing is bad habit, you need to talk to the child and convince him to control his facial expressions. At the same time, you should not scold the baby. It is important to clearly explain to him the incivility of this manner and the risk of developing serious disorders. To help him start breathing through his nose faster, they do special exercise: alternately inhale air through each nostril and exhale through the mouth.

The question of why a child’s mouth is constantly open is quite relevant and worrying for many parents. This phenomenon often occurs in our lives and, indeed, is a serious problem, because an open mouth is not only ugly and indecent, but also dangerous. Is your child's mouth constantly open? Maybe it's just bad habit, adopted from someone close or a consequence of frequent colds. It is likely that this is the result of respiratory failure or the consequences of physiological and psychological problems with health. Perhaps this is muscle failure, or maybe even a symptom of a serious neurological disease.

In any case, an open mouth is always a reason to think about the child’s health and an impetus for changing his behavior. Moreover, the constantly open mouth itself is also a gateway to new serious diseases, as well as a source of new unpleasant consequences and problems in the life of a still little man. Therefore, today we, having studied many medical reference books and after analyzing similar real situations, we tried to find objective reasons why the child’s mouth is constantly open.

ENT diseases.

The most common reason why a child’s mouth is constantly open is the presence of any ENT diseases. The fact is that the adenoids, as well as chronic runny nose, otitis, rhinitis and sinusitis - all of this, together or separately, negatively affects the child’s breathing. A baby who breathes through his nose rather than his mouth sooner or later encounters a number of serious problems. The fact is that humans are naturally equipped with the function of breathing through the nose. It is justified by the fact that the inhaled air, passing through the nasal passages, is moistened, warmed and purified. At the same time, brain receptors are activated, which are directly involved in blood gas exchange, oxygen supply to the brain and in regulating the functioning of the entire body. It has been noticed that children who breathe through their mouths catch colds more often and get sick more often. They have problems with bite, posture, as well as with speech and, in general, with behavior and communication with other children. Due to insufficient oxygen supply to the brain, such children are often depressed and anxious state. They often have sleep disorders, they are more inattentive and quite restless.

Moreover, a baby who breathes through his mouth can be easily distinguished by his characteristic external signs. Such a child has a constantly open mouth, slightly upturned upper lip, the nostrils are narrower than usual, and the bridge of the nose is slightly wider. He has an elongated face shape, narrow shoulders and a sunken chest. To maintain balance, the posture of such a child also undergoes changes. It becomes characterized by a forward tilt of the head - and this is a serious load on the temporomandibular joint, which provokes headaches and facial muscle pain, as well as pain in the lumbar region and spine. This is exactly the portrait of a child who has problems with nasal breathing and whose body needs as soon as possible undergo examination and treatment. Because a constant runny nose and any other frequent ENT diseases easily turn into chronic forms, and breathing through the mouth becomes a habit, which sometimes cannot be gotten rid of even in adult life.

Dental diseases.

One more typical cause An open mouth may cause dental problems in a child. Early caries, destruction of the integrity of teeth and their complete loss along with adenoids, pacifier abuse, the habit of sucking fingers, rickets and neurological diseases negatively affects the formation of a child’s bite. An incorrect bite affects how the tongue is positioned in the mouth and how its teeth and lips are closed. But not correct position tongue and the natural deformation of the jaws in this situation affects the processes of sucking, chewing, swallowing and, of course, breathing. Perhaps the child’s mouth is constantly open, because due to an incorrectly formed dental system, it is simply inconvenient for him to close it. Therefore, if your child has a constantly open mouth, visit the dentist and seek advice from an orthodontist in order to cure it faster. dental diseases and correct the bite.

Weakness of the orbicularis oris muscle.

The orbicularis oris muscle is a tightly fused bundle of muscles that are located around the lips. A decrease in the tone of this muscle is a fairly common phenomenon in newborns, as well as in preschool and even younger children. school age. It is believed that an open mouth in children under one year of age is a completely normal phenomenon, which is not worth worrying too much about, but should not be ignored. Although it may go away over time without any intervention from parents or doctors, open mouthing can still become a habit. And such a habit is dangerous for the development of mouth breathing in a child, a crooked bite and the onset of other health problems. Therefore, if you infant His mouth is constantly open, but he breathes through his nose and has no neurological problems, That special attention they don't pay attention to this. But for older children, the orbicularis oris muscle is strengthened. This is done with the help of facial massage and special speech therapy exercises.

Neurological problems.

However, if, along with an open mouth, the child has profuse salivation or the tip of his tongue is constantly sticking out, he needs to urgently contact a neurologist. Such symptoms indicate that the child has neurological problems: from ordinary hypertension and ischemic lesion central nervous system to more serious diseases.

An adopted bad habit.

Is your child's mouth constantly open? Could this be an acquired phenomenon? If you previously did not notice the baby’s habit of keeping his mouth open, but by the age of 6-7 he suddenly began to actively do this, think and take a closer look, perhaps he is copying his friend or one of the adults. As a rule, at this age children are characterized by imitation, which passes quickly and does not require any action. However, to prevent open mouth from becoming a permanent habit, you should talk to your child and try to teach him to control his actions. At the same time, do not scold or yell at your child under any circumstances. Explain that this is ugly, uncivilized and threatens the development of serious diseases.

If your child's mouth is constantly open, do not panic, remember when your baby began to open his mouth: from birth or this happened quite recently under the influence of someone around him. Pay attention to how your baby breathes: through the mouth or through the nose. Observe your child how often his mouth is open, when he opens it, and under what circumstances. Perhaps he just occasionally opens it slightly out of zeal, surprise or attention. Well, if this happens all the time and if you are seriously concerned that the child’s mouth is constantly open, contact an ENT specialist, dentist, orthodontist and neurologist. There is a huge variety medicines and medical devices in order to get rid of certain diseases that provoke the habit of keeping the mouth open. There is also a huge variety various techniques in order to get rid of this habit, starting from facial massage and ending with special devices. The main thing to remember is that an open mouth is the source of many problems and the cause for the development of a number of diseases, so be vigilant and attentive towards your child.

The question of why a child's mouth is constantly open worries many mothers and fathers. After all, caring parents carefully monitor the development of their child, never allowing anything to happen to their baby. Therefore, with any change in the behavior or development of the baby, they sound the alarm. And it is right.

A frivolous attitude towards your child can lead to serious consequences. For example, a common occurrence among young children - a constantly open mouth during wakefulness, may turn out to be not a harmless prank, but serious illness. Let's try to understand the reasons that contribute to this phenomenon.

In some cases, nothing bad happens if the child forgets to close his mouth. This may be a common habit when the baby has been walking around with a pacifier in his mouth for a long time, and has recently been deprived of this pleasure. If parents observe that after a long period their child still does not close his mouth, then it is not a matter of habit - the reason here lies in something completely different.

ENT diseases

ENT diseases are common reason Why does the child's mouth constantly open?

Difficulty breathing through the nose can be caused by diseases such as sinusitis, otitis media, sinusitis, nasal polyps or adenoids. Parents should especially think about adenoids, since almost every third child faces this problem. When they occur, swelling of the nasal mucosa occurs, or they partially block the nasal passages, which makes it difficult for the child to breathe and even speak clearly. In their sleep, such children also do not close their lips, their breathing is heavy, and their sleep is interrupted. They often wake up at night because the body lacks air.

Normal breathing In addition, it becomes difficult with sinusitis, when the paranasal sinuses nose due to prolonged runny nose or other infectious diseases. Human organs are designed so that incoming cold air passes through the nasal passage, warming, moisturizing and purifying. When going through the mouth, the air does not go through all these mandatory steps. As a result, a baby who constantly breathes through his mouth often catches a cold and becomes seriously ill. Over time, he may develop incorrect posture or bite due to improper closure of the dentition. Changes in behavior are also observed. Such children feel more uncomfortable with other children, their mood often deteriorates, and sleep disturbances occur.

Allergic reaction of the body

Sometimes allergies can manifest themselves in the most unexpected ways. A habitual red rash on the skin or coughing are the most well-known obvious manifestations of allergies to food or drugs.

Swelling of the nasopharynx can also occur due to the effects of allergens on the child’s body. This results in difficulty breathing through the nose, which encourages the child to breathe through the mouth. In this case, the otolaryngologist prescribes drops that relieve allergic inflammation of the nasal mucosa.

Dental problems

In the question of why a child constantly opens his mouth, a dental problem should also not be ruled out. Difficulty in closing your lips may be due to an incorrect bite. While the child is small and all his teeth have not erupted, it is difficult to notice this problem. Only when it occurs permanent teeth Parents may notice that something is wrong with the baby’s bite and go to the orthodontist. It is advisable to see a specialist before the child turns 12 years old, in which case the doctor will be able to resolve correct height jaws.

Also, a slightly open mouth can be a result of diseased teeth. It is more convenient for the baby to keep it open than to feel pain when closing it. Parents should pay attention to the health of their child's teeth - perhaps this is where the problem lies. In this case, you should head to pediatric dentist. If, after the oral cavity has been sanitized, the child still does not give up his habit, there is no need to exclude other reasons.

Impaired tone of the paralabial muscles

Impaired tone of the paralabial muscles is one of the reasons why an infant's mouth is constantly open. And this is a fairly common phenomenon among infants. According to experts, if a baby under one year old has an open mouth, then there is no reason to worry. This habit can go away in a child on its own, without medical intervention. Although you shouldn’t relax too much, the manner of keeping your mouth open can provoke the diseases mentioned above: the appearance of adenoids, the formation malocclusion. And if after a year the child’s mouth is constantly open, a specialist will tell you what to do in such a situation.

As for the circular muscles of the mouth, they can be strengthened with the help of special gymnastics, which are prescribed by orthodontists. This is very effective method, correcting dental pathology. An orthodontic mouth guard (dental trainer) will also help put the jaws in the correct position. The child's tongue takes the correct position in the oral cavity, due to which breathing through the nose is restored. It is very convenient to use, since it does not have to be worn around the clock, which is important for small children. This special structure is like an assistant for parents - it helps to quickly wean the baby from thumb sucking.

Problems with the central nervous system

Such a pathology can be determined if, in addition to an open mouth, the child also has excessive salivation or the tip of the tongue constantly sticks out. In this case, parents need not to delay time and show the baby to the doctor, since these symptoms may mean serious pathology central nervous system.

IN best case scenario, if a child constantly opens his mouth, this behavior occurs due to normal hypertonicity. Hypertonicity is accompanied by sleep disturbances; the baby is often irritable, capricious, and crying.

Acquired habit

Children constantly copy those with whom they communicate. This is fine. If parents had not previously noticed that their child kept his mouth constantly open, and suddenly by the age of six they began to observe this phenomenon, then, most likely, this is a common copying of the behavior of someone they know. A child can pick up a bad habit not only from his peers, but also from adults with whom he often comes into contact.

Jr preschool age- the very period when children tend to behave like this. Over time, a bad habit may go away on its own. But it’s still better to talk calmly with the child and teach him to keep his facial expressions under control.

be careful

Parents should under no circumstances ignore their child’s behavior if they observe his mouth constantly not closing. Maybe your favorite child with such facial expressions looks cute and funny. But in any case, if a child’s mouth is constantly open, this is an alarm bell for moms and dads. If you want to see your child healthy, you should immediately take action and trust the specialists.