Episode 126: The ADHD Airway Connection with Dr. Kathy Cantwell

In this powerful conversation, Andrea sits down with pediatric chiropractor and airway-focused practitioner Dr. Kathy Cantwell to discuss one of the most overlooked contributors to behavior issues, sleep struggles, nervous system dysregulation, ADHD symptoms, and long-term health concerns in children: airway dysfunction.

Dr. Cantwell shares her own personal journey with severe sleep-disordered breathing and explains how mouth breathing, tongue ties, narrow palates, and poor airway development can affect everything from emotional regulation to brain development.

This episode is a must-listen for parents of children struggling with:

• ADHD or focus issues
• Chronic congestion or mouth breathing
• Snoring
• Bedwetting
• Poor sleep
• Behavioral challenges
• Picky eating
• Frequent illness
• Anxiety or nervous system dysregulation

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Why snoring in children is never “normal” or “cute”
• The connection between airway issues and ADHD-like symptoms
• How tongue ties can impact feeding, sleep, and nervous system development
• Signs of airway dysfunction in infants, toddlers, and older children
• Why open-mouth breathing changes facial development over time
• The relationship between airway issues, sleep deprivation, cortisol, and behavior
• How poor oxygenation impacts the developing brain
• The connection between sleep-disordered breathing and bedwetting
• Why many children with airway dysfunction crave carbs and struggle with picky eating
• How airway issues affect growth hormone, blood sugar regulation, and emotional regulation
• What parents can look for at home
• Why this issue is so commonly missed by providers
• The importance of a team approach when supporting children with airway dysfunction

Key Signs Parents Should Watch For:

• Mouth breathing
• Snoring
• Dark circles under the eyes (“allergic shiners”)
• Chronic congestion
• Poor sleep quality
• Frequent waking
• Bedwetting past typical potty-training age
• Picky eating or gagging on tougher foods
• Hyperactivity or behavioral dysregulation
• Daytime fatigue
• Head-forward posture
• Recessed jaw or narrow palate

Connect with Dr. Kathy Cantwell

Follow Dr. Cantwell on Instagram

 

Connect with Andrea 

Not sure where to start with your child's behavioral issues, mood and sleep? Schedule a discovery call with Andrea HERE

Get a FREE airway consultation with Toothpillow by using the code ABUNDANTWELLNESS