1.6 Small Jaws, ADHD and Related Mental Disorders
by Raina Shroff, JawHacks Guest Contributor
This is Chapter 1.6 of the JawHacks ebook. See the full Table of Contents here.
Ryan’s Story
Ryan is suffering from Pediatric OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea). He’s not learning at pace with his peers, he cries over everything, and his desk is a mess.
The teacher raises the matter with his parents. The pediatrician gets involved and flags him with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
His new stimulant medication jolts him into action. His academic performance improves, and the behavioral outbursts stop. Day in, day out, these meds help him mask the symptoms of a not-so-obvious cause.
At the after-school sleepover, Ryan’s friends tease him, “You snore!” That night they sleep sound while he grinds his teeth to stubs.
The dentist suggests an $800 night guard. Costs for Ryan’s parents are adding up. Therapy, meds, monthly visits to the psychiatrist, now this?
Oh, and he needs braces! That’s another $7,000 gone.
He’ll be in eighth grade next year, so his small-town orthodontist starts the process. Ryan wears his elastics with perfect compliance. He wants to avoid sporting a brace face in high school. “Hey, no more vampire teeth.” He smiles in the mirror. “It’s working fast.”