At What Point Did Chickens Start Laying Eggs And The Possibility Of An Alternative Science That Do Not Exclude Holistic Thinking? The term sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) implies that breathing disorder occurs during sleep: if a person were not to sleep then one could postulate that one does not have disordered breathing. Let us suppose that there is a preexisting breathing disorder prior to sleep and it is during sleep that the symptoms of disordered breathing are clinically manifested. By expanding the parameters of disordered breathing, other areas of investigation should now be looked at. Sleep may not be the cause of disordered breathing rather a late arrival to the scene as the breakdown process of ones health may have started many years prior. However, if one continues to hold that sleep is the culprit of disordered breathing and only search for solutions within sleep then one could forever be treating the symptoms and not the cause. A limited view of the problems will not be able to solve the problems, if anything, it could create new problems. Present day treatments include: CPAP, surgeries, drugs, dental appliances,... A recent article in Sleep Review, Volume 7, Number 7, 26-31, "Responding to Pediatric CPAP Problems"; children are observed as being afflicted with the preliminary symptoms of disordered breathing and basically the same treatment modalities are being recommended for children. Do you know of anyone who has been weaned off CPAP because it cured the breathing disorder? Can you imagine what that could mean to the quality of life to a 10 year old child on CPAP? If one proposes solutions outside of sleep it may be received with doubt, skepticism, and subjected to criticism and even hostility. However, for the sake of ones health and fitness, a dialogue should begin. It is my opinion that the initial disordered breathing had nothing to do with sleep; started during childhood; progressed in severity to adulthood; and manifested most severely during sleep; and therefore, preventive and corrective measures should be started during early childhood development. Adults who are afflicted with disordered breathing problems should continue with their present treatment and treatment to include the parameters of correct breathing training, stress management, moderate [not mild] exercise program; and an awakening and acceptance of the importance of modifying the Standard American Diet (The "SAD" Diet) to include larger portions of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and smaller portions of animal products and processed foods. These proposals are not radical: time is running out and one must commit to a new [old] Way of Life. By definition, when one is in a box, one can see only things in the box. "The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were when we created them." Albert Einstein. Which came first the chicken or the egg? This mystery has been with us for as long as I can remember. Has anyone ever concluded that the first chicken came from another chicken and only after many generations, somewhere after the 100th generation of egg laying chickens, all the chickens throughout the world started laying eggs instead of giving birth to live chicks? However, one may conclude the first egg came from another egg. Sometimes to see clearly one needs to step back and look with new eyes. It cannot be stated more clearly that chronic mouth breathing is a serious breathing disorder and its origin had nothing to do with sleep. Like the first chickens, we need to go to the beginning to see the truth. What can be more basic than to start with correct breathing? Nasal breathing is correct breathing! p.s. The editorial was written with a sense of urgency: many of us are not well and unknowingly raising unhealthy children who likely will end up with painful illnesses. "Seeing we see but we do not perceive; hearing we hear but we do not understand, because we have got a mind which has no understanding and no feeling." Isaiah 6:9,10 Why Survival? Nasal breathing is the key to keeping the tongue resting at the roof of the mouth. There is the presence of the naturally occurring lip seal and tongue suction when the tongue is at the roof of the mouth. This is a profound discovery. The tongue is kept from falling back into the throat; thereby, preventing the blockage to the airway which could lead to suffocation and even death in an infant. It is my opinion that SIDS is an infant form of obstructive sleep apnea. Major studies on the significance of nasal breathing and its antithesis, mouth breathing, are much overdue. A sad story recently aired on Hawaii News Now TV, www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/29612474/hpd-investigates-daycare-death-while-parents-mourn-loss-of-6-month-old. The 6 month infant, after eating, is placed in a hot room [no air conditioning], and in her car seat, [encased, retains body heat, poor air circulation around body]. The door to the room may have been closed further aggravating the heated condition [the effect of being locked in a hot car]. Hawaii has had record heat waves for the month of July, 2015. The infant overheats and starts hyperventilating [mouth breathing] to cool off. When the mouth is open, the naturally occurring lip seal and tongue suction are lost, now the tongue is free to fall back into throat and block the airway, hence, SIDS. Why do you think infants are 100% nasal breather at birth? It is my opinion this tragic incidence was preventable. This statement in not done lightly. It is made from knowledge gained from years of work done on Nose Breathe Technology. The importance of nasal breathing is not new; George Catlin made similar statement 150 years ago from his work on Native American Indians, "Shut Your Mouth and Save Your Life." This is my opinion and not verified by any evidence based studies. For your information and safety, make sure your babies are nose breathing and kept on the cooler side. Hawaii News Now TV did a follow-up study on perfectly healthy Baby Zoe who died at a daycare center http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/30858845/ewa-beach-family--seek-justice-for-6-month-old-who-died-at-daycare The Medical Examiner's finding is Hyperthermia (Over heating). Hyperthermia itself will not kill. Hyperthermia leads to hyperventilation (mouth breathing); the body instinctively tries to cool itself down. When the mouth is open, the naturally occurring lip seal and tongue suction are lost. Now the tongue is free to fall into the back of the throat and block the airway; hence, suffocation and death. A young baby does not have the strength to cough the tongue out of its throat. The Medical Examiner did not find any evidence of foul play and could not give an explanation of what happened. It is very sad and unfortunate. Humans are designed for nasal breathing. It is critical for infants. Steven K. Sue, D.D.S., M.S., Inc. Honolulu, HI USA Tel. (808) 949-8876