LOS ANGELES, Dec. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- McComb Orthodontics, a specialty orthodontic practice serving Culver City and West Hollywood, has launched a free screening program designed to identify airway obstructions that research increasingly links to attention deficits and poor academic performance in children.
The "Student Airway Baseline" initiative offers complimentary 15-minute analyses of the orofacial structures for children ages 6 to 12. The program, which requires no referral, aims to detect signs of sleep-disordered breathing before the condition affects school performance or leads to misdiagnosis of behavioral disorders.
"Many parents hire tutors or seek medication for a child who can't focus, not realizing the child is physically exhausted from poor sleep," said Dr. Ryan McComb, the Harvard-trained orthodontist who leads the practice. "New research confirms that narrow palates and restricted airways don't just affect teeth—they can deprive the developing brain of the deep, restorative sleep essential for learning and memory consolidation."
The initiative follows mounting clinical evidence connecting airway health to cognitive development. A January 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis published in BMC Pediatrics quantified the proportion of neurobehavioral impairments attributed to sleep-disordered breathing in children and adolescents. A separate 2022 meta-analysis in Sleep Medicine Reviews reviewing 77 studies found that children with sleep-disordered breathing had significant impairments across all cognitive domains, with the largest deficits in verbal and overall intelligence.
The American Academy of Pediatrics' September 2025 clinical report on developmental screening emphasizes the critical importance of early identification of conditions that affect mental, emotional, and behavioral health in children, noting that standardized screening helps reduce cognitive biases that can contribute to misdiagnosis.
Sleep-disordered breathing in children often goes undetected because symptoms differ from those in adults. Rather than loud snoring, affected children may exhibit restless sleep, mouth breathing, bedwetting, or daytime behaviors that mimic attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Studies suggest that as many as one in 10 children experience some form of sleep-disordered breathing, with many cases remaining undiagnosed until problems manifest academically or behaviorally.
"We're seeing children labeled as problem students when the real issue is that their airway is so compromised they're operating on a fraction of the sleep their brains need," Dr. McComb said. "A simple screening can identify structural issues that, when addressed early, may prevent years of struggle in the classroom and at home."
The noninvasive Student Airway Baseline screening takes approximately 15 minutes and produces immediate results. Children identified with potential concerns receive detailed findings that parents can share with pediatricians or sleep specialists for further evaluation, along with potential referral to ENT specialists.
"This isn't a dental exam—it's a baseline measurement that gives families objective data about their child's airway development," Dr. McComb said. "Our goal is early identification, before grades suffer and before a child begins to see themselves as someone who can't succeed in school."
The complimentary screenings are available at both McComb Orthodontics locations in Culver City and West Hollywood and are open to all students in the greater Los Angeles area regardless of whether they are existing patients. Parents may schedule appointments by contacting either clinic directly or through the practice website.
About McComb Orthodontics
McComb Orthodontics is a specialty orthodontic practice with clinics in West Hollywood, and Culver City, serving families across the Westside and central Los Angeles. The West Hollywood clinic is convenient to Beverly Grove, Melrose, the Fairfax District and the Sunset Strip. The Culver City clinic serves the Culver Arts District, Palms, Mar Vista, Playa Vista and Baldwin Hills. Led by Board Certified orthodontist Ryan McComb, DMD, MS, the practice provides comprehensive care that includes growth and airway-aware evaluations, braces and clear aligners for children, teens and adults. Learn more at https://mccomborthodontics.com/
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3ce1d3a7-31ce-420c-adb4-bc075f376aa3
