What is sleep apnea ?

 
Sleep apnea is serious disorder in which there is a repeated pause in the breathing pattern during sleep. There are 3 types of sleep apnea. These are :

• obstructive sleep  apnea  OSA, which is caused by an obstruction in the airway
• central apnea, which is when the part of the brain that control breathing does not maintain the breathing process well
• mixed apnea is a combination of central and obstructive apnea

Central apnea is common in babies . OSA is more common in children over the age of 1 and adults.

Which babies are at risk ?

 
Premature babies are at high risk of sleep apnea even though any baby can have an apnea. When it occurs in premature babies, it is known as apnea of prematurity. When it occurs in full term babies, it is known as apnea of infancy.

Medical conditions that may cause or make apnea worse include the following :

• metabolic disorders
• immature central nervous system
• imbalance in body chemistry
• bleeding in the brain
• heart or blood vessel problems
• neurological problems
• anemia
• acid reflux
• seizures
• small upper airway
• infections
• lung disease

Anesthesia and drugs can also cause sleep apnea.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea ?

Babies with sleep apnea stop breathing while they sleep. You should however note that it is normal for babies less  than 6 months old to experience what is called periodic breathing.  The baby may breath fast for  a period , then slow, then pause for about 15 seconds and start breathing again. This is normal and nothing to worry about.

If you are worried about your baby’s breathing, talk to your doctor.

What are the complications of sleep apnea in babies ?

When a baby stops breathing, his blood oxygen levels drops and carbon dioxide rises. This may result in severe drop of heart rate  known as  bradycardia.

Babies who have had more than one  apparent life-threatening event (ALTE) which is an acute, unexpected change in an infant’s breathing  are likely to have long term complications or die from it.

How is sleep apnea diagnosed ?

You may be referred by your doctor to a sleep specialist who will review your baby’s history and symptoms. He may also do a study called  polysomnogram. This is an overnight sleep study. It is the best way to evaluate your child’s sleep. The study  will help the doctor develop a treatment plan  for your child. The test records the child’s brain waves, heartbeat, and breathing during sleep.  It also records arms and legs movement and tells the severity of the problem.

How is sleep apnea treated ?

 
Treatment depends on the severity of your case. You child may be treated with medication . He may also be given breathing support in the form of  CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine, which keeps the airway open by blowing air into the nose through a mask during sleep.

NOTE

If you notice your baby has stopped breathing, touch the baby to see if he responds. If he does not, call 911 immediately.

If you know how to administer infant CPR, start immediately and have someone call for help. If you are alone with baby, administer CPR for 2 minutes , call for help and resume CPR until the baby starts breathing or emergency personnel arrive.

 
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