Sleep Apnea in Infants is Rare, But It Is Something Parents Should Know About
Sleep Apnea Can Appear in Toddlers
December 14, 2016Sleep Apnea in Infants Has Many Risk Factors and Symptoms
December 23, 2016Having an infant with sleep apnea is something that most parents do not need to deal with. However, if you are
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one of the few that do, it is important that you know all there is to know about it so that you can keep your child safe. Most instances of sleep apnea in infants are short and pass on their own. Unfortunately, that is not the case for all of them. The more you know about this worrisome condition, the safer you will be able to keep your little one.
The Two Main Types of Infant Sleep Apnea
There are typically two main types of sleep apnea in infants. The first kind is called central sleep apnea. This is when the brain or the lungs do not send the appropriate messages to the body so that it remembers to breathe. This happens once or twice in most little babies as their bodies adjust to breathing outside the womb. Expect a couple instances of this shortly after birth, which should resolve themselves within a few hours. If you notice that your newborn is still struggling to breathe after those few hours, bring it up to their pediatrician to ensure that your child’s lungs are developed fully.
The other main type of infant sleep apnea is obstructive. This is when your baby’s soft palate slides backwards into the throat when they sleep. This is somewhat common for a little while after birth, but it also usually resolves itself within a short time as the child’s body begins to gain enough strength to hold everything in place.
There is another type of sleep apnea, and it is probably the most common, but it is not something unique from the above mentioned types of sleep apnea. It is called mixed sleep apnea, and it is the combination of both of the first two types of apnea. It is common in babies to have a bit of central sleep apnea, then have a moment where the palate slides back, causing obstructive sleep apnea. This usually occurs shortly after a long sigh during the infant’s sleep, or when the infant enters REM sleep.
What to Know About Infant Sleep Apnea
If you notice that your infant struggles to breathe, but is still able to breathe, this is known as hypopnea; however, if your infant fully stops breathing, that is a full apnea. The difference is important to note when you are speaking with your infant’s pediatrician because it will make a difference on how they look at and treat your infant’s sleep apnea.
If your child was born prematurely, then your infant is most likely going to suffer from mixed sleep apnea. However, if your baby was born at or around full term, then your child is most likely going to suffer from central sleep apnea.
There are two primary causes of apnea in infants. Most of the time, central apnea is the sign of some type of secondary ailment. Since it involves mixed signals coming from the brain or the lungs, if the central sleep apnea doesn’t pass on its own, it shows that there is some type of an issue with the body. This can be an issue that will resolve on its own, or it can be something that will require therapy or surgery to correct.
The other primary cause is something within the brainstem of the infant that did not fully get developed in utero. If your baby is born without a fully developed brainstem, it can lead to mixed signals being sent from the brain to other parts of the body, or mixed signals being received by the brain, causing issues with your child’s ability to breathe.
Dangers of Leaving Sleep Apnea Untreated
When apnea goes untreated in infants, it can lead to a wide range of health problems. Your infant’s struggle to breathe could lead to a condition called hypoxemia, which is when there is too little oxygen in your infant’s blood. If the apnea is severe, it could lead to a condition called brachycardia, which is when your infant’s heart rate drops to a very low level instead of being higher due to their smaller heart. Worst case scenario for an infant with sleep apnea is losing consciousness. This would require resuscitation for your infant, and could be very damaging to their body.