A good night’s sleep is essential for kids to feel alert, focused, and ready to learn. For 9‑year‑old Bree, that wasn’t always the case. She often woke up during the night and felt sluggish the next day.
A routine dental visit revealed Bree’s enlarged tonsils, something that can narrow the airway during sleep and lead to sleep apnea. That discovery led her to Dr. Jon Slezak, an otolaryngologist at BayCare Clinic Ear, Nose & Throat.
“(Bree) had very consistent symptoms of sleep apnea, very enlarged tonsils, and so it was a discussion that we had with her parents in regard to the associated risks of the procedure but also the very strong probability of overall benefit with her sleep quality,” said Dr. Slezak.
After evaluating her symptoms, the team recommended removing her tonsils and adenoids — a common approach to address sleep apnea in children.
The impact was felt almost right away.
“I don’t wake up a lot now; I don’t really wake up any time. And my tummy, I feel like it got a lot better,” Bree said.
Her mom saw a difference, too.
“Shortly after the surgery I said to her, ‘How do you feel? Do you feel different?’ and she said, ‘I used to wake up really tired, and I don’t feel tired anymore.’ So, that was indication to me that we made the right choice,” Bree’s mom shared.
Dr. Slezak notes that enlarged tonsils are a common cause of pediatric sleep apnea — and many families don’t realize how significantly it can affect a child’s energy, behavior, mood, and learning. While the thought of surgery can feel overwhelming, Bree wants other kids to know it isn’t as scary as it sounds.
“I would say it’s really easy and you can get through it,” she said.
With improved sleep, Bree now feels rested, comfortable, and ready to take on each day — a reminder of how important healthy sleep is for growing children.