Sleep apnea in babies
Sleep apnea in babies Reviewed by the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board Last updated: April 2007 What is sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a potentially serious disorder in which breathing is interrupted repeatedly during sleep. There are three kinds of apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is caused by a blockage; central sleep apnea, in which there is no blockage but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe; and mixed apnea, which is a combination of the two.
Central apnea is most common type of sleep apnea in babies. In adults and children over 1 year, OSA is the most common type. Children with Down syndrome and other congenital conditions that affect the upper airway have a higher incidence of sleep apnea. Over half of children with Down syndrome will develop obstructive sleep apnea.
Any baby can have sleep apnea, but it’s much more common in babies who were born prematurely. In babies born to moms up to 37 weeks pregnant, it’s called apnea of prematurity. In babies born to moms past 37 weeks pregnant, it’s called apnea of infancy.
The more premature a baby is, the more likely he is to suffer from apnea.
In babies, immaturity of the central nervous system is most likely responsible. Other possibilities include bleeding in the brain, exposure to drugs or poisons, a birth defect, infection, respiratory disease, gastrointestinal problems (like reflux), an imbalance in body chemistry (like incorrect amounts of calcium or glucose), and problems with the heart or blood vessels.
Babies with sleep apnea stop breathing during sleep. (In a sleep lab, a pause for a baby is 20 seconds or more without a breath; in older children it’s ten seconds.) The baby might gasp or gag as he finally takes a breath. He may also turn blue.
Keep in mind that it’s normal for babies who are less than 6 months old to experience what doctors call periodic breathing. You may notice that your baby breathes faster for a period, then more slowly, then pauses for up to 15 seconds before resuming normal breathing.
This isn’t anything to worry about. In fact, your baby may breathe this way up to 5 percent of the time he’s asleep. (Premature babies may breathe this way up to 10 percent of the time they’re sleeping.)
If your baby has sleep apnea while still in the hospital, his doctor will probably want to monitor him there before sending him home. If you’re at all concerned about your baby’s breathing at any time, talk with his doctor.
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