What Are the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea in Babies?

Sleep apnea is a fairly common condition in both adults and children, but has the potential to cause serious health problems and even death in babies. While often thought of as a problem only for premature infants, any baby can experience sleep apnea at any time, so it's important to be aware of the signs and potential problems of this disorder to best protect your infant.

Cause

• Sleep apnea is a condition characterized by repeated interruption of breathing during sleep. When seen in babies, sleep apnea is most likely due to an immature central nervous system. Other causes are infection, respiratory disease, gastrointestinal problems and heart or blood vessel problems. Premature babies, those born before 37 weeks gestation, are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea. This is called apnea of prematurity, and the earlier a baby is born, the more likely he or she is to have this disorder.

Types

• There are three types of sleep apnea: Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain does not signal the muscles to breathe; obstructive sleep apnea is due to a blockage of the airway; and mixed apnea is a combination of these two forms . Central apnea is the most common type in children under 1 year, and is seen frequently in very premature babies because the respiratory center of the brain has not yet matured.

Symptoms

• It's not always easy to tell whether your baby suffers from sleep apnea or whether she is simply experiencing normal changes in her breathing patterns. Symptoms of sleep apnea may include snoring followed by a pause or gasp, labored breathing, changes in color such as turning blue, or restless sleep. In babies under 6 months, you may notice faster breathing for a time, then slower breathing, followed by a pause of 10 to 15 seconds before regular breathing resumes, but this is quite normal and not the same as sleep apnea. If you suspect your baby has sleep apnea, be sure to discuss your concerns with your pediatrician.

Danger

• Sleep apnea can be dangerous for babies because a pause in breathing deprives the body of oxygen and results in an increase of carbon dioxide levels in the blood. A severe drop in heart rate may occur and even be fatal. An Apparent Life-Threatening Event (ALTE) is an episode of apnea that also includes a change in color, change in muscle tone, gagging or choking. Babies who experience more than one ALTE are at a greater risk for long-term health conditions and sudden death.

Treatment

• If you witness your baby experiencing sleep apnea, touch him to evoke a response; if he doesn't respond, begin to administer infant CPR and then call 911 right away. For general treatment, your doctor may recommend a special baby monitor to check your child's breathing and heart rate, so that you can be alerted to a problem, or he may prescribe medications that help stimulate your baby's central nervous system.