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Researchers say one in 10 kids may suffer from a sleep disorder more commonly associated with adults. Missing the signs could be dangerous. Life can be tough enough for teenagers...the last thing they want to do is become objects of ridicule. But that's exactly what happened to 13-year-old Kinta Cooley, after she kept falling asleep in class. She says it made her feel like an outcast. "I kept falling asleep in class. It was embarassing cuz I couldn't stay up and do my work." Kinta's mother Lisa Swift also noticed her daughter's problem. She said Kinta snored loudly, and kept falling asleep at odd times...like during dinner. "She could not sit down without going to sleep...at all times. It was really bad," Lisa says. Lisa decided to take her daughter to see a specialist. After an overnight study at the Sleep Wellness Institute in West Allis she had a diagnosis: Kinta had Sleep Apnea. Sleep Apnea is when there is a complete or partial obstruction of the airways. This can cause a person to stop breathing, and wake up during the night. In severe cases, this can happen hundreds of times a night. Between 12 and 20 million adults have Sleep Apnea, and now researchers are figuring out it's a problem that could also affect children. Dr. Don Harden has treated many children at the Sleep Wellness Institute. "For them, consequences are things like irritability, hyperactivity, tendencies for those kinds of things...difficulties in school," he explains. In adults, Sleep Apnea can be pinpointed by a typical pattern of snoring. There are regular pauses, usually followed by noticeable chokes or heaves. Children don't tend to do that. Their snoring is usually continuous, and that is a red flag. "Frequent awakening, things like night-terrors may be associated with it," Dr. Harden points out. Since her diagnosis, life has improved dramatically for Kinta. She had surgery to clear her blocked airways, lost some weight, and changed schools. These days, she is much happier. "I'm doing better now. I don't fall asleep in class, I'm more active now, I like to do stuff," Kinta exclaims. Sleep Apnea among children is still pretty rare. It only affect affects 1-3% of people under age 18. If you suspect your child has this problem, you should see a health professional as soon as possible. Besides surgery, many Sleep Apnea patients find relief by using a breathing machine called a C-PAP mask.