Could your child's ADHD symptoms be sleep apnea? Doctors say these are the signs

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- With daylight saving time coming to an end, parents can often see the effects on their sleep. But many may be mixing up a well-known sleep problem with attention hyperactivity disorder or ADHD.

If your child is having a hard time focusing in school and tends to act out at home, it might be something that afflicts many adults. Kids with sleep apnea often go underdiagnosed or even misdiagnosed.

To do their best in class or on the field, kids need the proper amount of sleep, but something could be "blocking" your child's ability to learn. Pediatric neurologists say it could be a chronic condition that often plagues adults.

"Sleep apnea, especially in our school-aged children, can look exactly like ADHD," Dr. Erick Vioritto.

If you're child is having a tough time concentrating remember this: Infants need at least 14 hours of sleep, toddlers 11 to 14 hours, and preschoolers need 10 to 13.

Elementary or middle school students need nine to 10 hours of sleep, and teens should aim for eight to 10 hours. If your kid isn't getting enough quality rest, doctors say sleep apnea could be to blame.

"We know this from studies. We know that children with obstructive sleep apnea are anywhere from 3-5 times as likely to perform poorly academically, up to seven times as likely to have behavioral issues at school," said Vioritto.

But it's often misdiagnosed. A report from the American Sleep Apnea Association suggests that as many as 25% of children diagnosed with ADHD may actually have symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea.

"The longer it goes untreated, the more complicated their symptoms can be," said Dr. Adam Rappaport with Nemours Children's Health.

Obstructive sleep apnea causes snoring, daytime fatigue, and difficulty concentrating, mimicking many symptoms of ADHD. If sleep apnea is left untreated, as your child ages, it increases cardiovascular risk

"Someone who's going to be 27, 28 years old and now struggling with health problems that could have been prevented, you know, that's a real tragedy," said Viorritto.

Most importantly, it's important to remember that most kids don't snore.

So if they do, parents should talk to their pediatrician. A correct diagnosis will involve an overnight sleep study. Doctors say the first line of treatment for children is often removing their tonsils and adenoids.