Mom, Save My Brain: The Hidden Airway Crisis Causing Brain Dysfunction in Hundreds of Millions of Children Worldwide
by Candy Sparks (Author), Dr. Suresh Kotagal (Preface)
Does your child struggle to pay attention in school, feel exhausted even after a full night’s sleep, or face ongoing health concerns that no one seems able to explain?
For far too many families, these challenges are more than just everyday hurdles — they are signs of a hidden crisis affecting over 400 million children worldwide. Every breath your child takes shapes their future, yet for millions, each breath is a silent struggle that undermines health, learning, and quality of life.
Candy Sparks knows this fight all too well. Her daughter, Savvy, once looked at her and said, “Mom, I feel like my body is rotting, and I can’t remember much of my childhood.” That heartbreaking moment set Sparks on a relentless journey to find answers — answers that revealed the overlooked epidemic of pediatric airway disorders. Despite countless medical visits and the benefits of advanced healthcare, years passed before Savvy finally received the right diagnosis and treatment. The delay took an irreversible toll, altering the course of her growth, well-being, and childhood.
In Mom Save My Brain, Sparks blends personal storytelling with critical medical insight to illuminate how often-overlooked symptoms — such as mouth breathing, chronic fatigue, behavioral struggles, and sleep disruptions — can point to underlying airway issues. Left untreated, these conditions can have profound lifelong consequences.
Determined to turn her family’s struggle into hope for others, Sparks founded the Children’s Airway First Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and transforming the way children’s breathing and sleep health are addressed worldwide. Her mission is clear: no parent should endure years of unanswered questions, and no child should suffer when solutions are within reach. This book is a call to awareness, action, and advocacy. It also features essential contributions from leading experts, including Dr. Suresh Kotagal, Dr. Karen Parker Davidson, Dr. Larry Wolford, Dr. John R. Finnegan, and Sharon Moore, who each add powerful perspective to this urgent conversation.
Through courage, love, and persistence, Candy Sparks is giving voice to countless families—and lighting the path toward healthier futures for children everywhere.
Mom, Save My Brain’ is so well written, so well structured, so well researched, so well resourced, so well referenced, it should be given to every parent. It should be sent home in a gift bag with every Mom leaving the hospital after giving birth. It should be in every OBGYN’s office, every high-risk pregnancy clinic, every neonatal department, every pediatric clinic, every dentist office, every waiting room — worldwide!! And it should be in every childcare center’s resource library. As a Mom who gave birth to four preemies, and a grandmother who held her first grandson and noticed he seemed to struggle to breathe when taking a bottle, this book would have not only informed me, it would have empowered me. Candy’s rallying cry and the chorus of world renown experts who helped amplify the call, will help countless millions of children live lives free from the adverse effects of airway disorders. This book is accessible, so don’t fear it will be too technical. This book has incredible heart, so don’t be nervous that it will be dry. This is a workbook, so don’t be hesitant to grab a pen and write in the margins. This book is a beacon that only gets brighter every time you read it (trust me, I’m on my second time), so don’t neglect sharing it with everyone you love.
I recently finished your book "Mom Save My Brain" then loaned it to my sister in law who bought several paperback editions and passed them out to her friends and pediatrician. It was so moving to read of your challenges and setbacks as you and Brad struggled to ascertain the true nature of Savvy's problem. Intermingled with the narrative was an excellent description of what new mothers, and for that matter physicians, should be aware of how common and devastating airway compromise can be to the infant and developing child.
I think that the book should be a required addition to the curriculum of medical students and all who are involved in the delivery and care of infants and children. Years ago Dr. Apgar developed a simple method of evaluating the viability of the newborn "The Apgar Score". I think a simple airway evaluation should be added to the score as the newborn is assessed.
Early treatment was pioneered by Viola Freymann, DO using methods termed "cranial manipulation". These methods are still being utilized by a handful of DOs. I am not aware if these methods are part of the curriculum at the Osteopathic schools around the country. Perhaps the Foundation could identify an osteopathic school where Cranial could be taught and practiced. I suspect that the cost of starting such a program would be enormous but the benefit of having a center where children with these problems could come would be priceless! Such a center would also be an educational resource to all practitioners who have an interest in this field.
Anyway, congratulations on your book bringing to the attention of parents and clinicians this very real but largely unidentified problem.
Recommended Reading List
With so much information available on childhood airway dysfunction prevention and sleep health, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. That’s why I’ve curated a list of must-read books to guide your research.
These books, written by leading medical experts, cover vital topics like breathing, diet, and dental health, offering actionable insights on improving these conditions. They’re also a fantastic resource for professionals, highlighting the importance of collaboration between pediatricians, pediatric dentists, and allied health professionals in children’s overall health management.
Do you have a book or author that’s not on our list but should be? Let us know! I’d love to review it and consider adding it to my Recommended Reading List.