Neonatal apnoea, also known as apnoea of prematurity or paediatric apnoea, is when a newborn baby unintentionally stops breathing for ten to fifteen seconds at a time. While neonatal apnoea is more common with babies born prematurely, it can happen with all infants. Pauses in breathing can happen while the child is sleeping or while they are awake.
There are several different types of neonatal apnoea, including central, obstructive, or mixed apnoea. Central apnoea happens when brain signals do not tell the baby to breathe, whereas obstructive apnoea happens when the pharynx is collapsed, blocked, or too weak to breathe. Mixed apnoea is a combination of the two.
Because of the dangers of neonatal apnoea, it is important to carefully watch your newborn for the first few days of their life. While all parents should pay close attention to their babies, monitoring for apnoea requires even more attentiveness. If you or your medical staff notice any of the following symptoms, your baby might have neonatal apnoea.
Broadly speaking, there are two types of neonatal apnoea – central and obstructive. Central apnoea happens when the brain is not sending signals to the lungs that they need to breathe and is a neurological disorder. Obstructive apnoea is when the pharynx or airways of the infant are obstructed, not working properly, or are simply too weak to work on their own.
Neonatal apnoea is a condition that can affect any newborn, regardless of how seamless the pregnancy and delivery are. However, babies born prematurely are at the highest risk of being born with apnoea because of their underdeveloped brain, lungs, and airways. Here are a few additional causes and risk factors for neonatal apnoea.
Additionally, mothers who are exposed to drugs or toxins while pregnant, who had an infection, or who had breathing problems while pregnant are more likely to have a baby born with apnoea.
Generally speaking, neonatal apnoea is fairly easy for doctors and parents to diagnose. In most cases, by simply watching the baby and taking note of their breathing, you can diagnose neonatal apnoea. If the condition is suspected, your doctor will likely hook the baby up to a breathing monitor to confirm a diagnosis.
Once apnoea is confirmed, further testing may be necessary to determine what type of apnoea they have. Blood tests can check for electrolyte and oxygen imbalances, whereas X-rays can check for physical problems with your lungs and airways.
Once you know what type of neonatal apnoea your baby has, they can receive treatment. Most babies make a full recovery, and monitoring is all that is necessary because the condition eventually goes away on its own. In other situations, however, your baby may need medications such as doxapram, theophylline, or caffeine nitrate to stimulate their central nervous system and help them breathe.
In more extreme cases, your baby may need to be connected to a CPAP machine or ventilator to help them breathe. However, these instances are rare and only used when apnoea is life-threatening. You can also help your baby breathe easier by positioning them in a certain way while they are sleeping and by gently rubbing their feet.