A 7-Year-Old Boy With Sudden Onset of Loud Snoring

Abstract

A 7-year-old boy was referred for evaluation of loud nightly snoring. Snoring started suddenly 2 weeks prior to presentation and grew progressively worse. Currently, the parents witnessed breathing pauses and gasping at night. The parents moved the child to a recliner to be able to breathe better, but the snoring and apneas persisted. There was no sleepwalking, night terrors, or nocturnal enuresis. During the day, the boy did not endorse symptoms of excessive sleepiness. The review of systems was negative for fever, weight loss, night sweats, sore throat, dysphagia, nasal congestion, ear pain, chest pain, shortness of breath, stridor, and abdominal pain. The child did not complain of throat discomfort. The parents noticed a sudden change in the child's voice and described it as "muffled, like speaking with cotton balls in his mouth." His school performance did not change. He had had a viral illness 2 weeks prior to presentation that was diagnosed as viral pneumonia. He was not on medications.

Keywords: asymmetric tonsils; lymphoma; snoring.