Question
The baby often exhibits the following symptoms during sleep: the breathing stops for about 8 seconds, followed by intense breathing for 3-4 times, then stops again for about 8 seconds. During the intense breathing, there may be sudden upward movements of the hands or eye opening actions. The heartbeat is normal. I would like to know how to prevent the baby’s apnea?
Answer
Neonatal apnea refers to the cessation of airflow in the respiratory tract for ≥20 seconds, accompanied or not by a decrease in heart rate or <15 seconds, with a decrease in heart rate. In premature infants, respiratory pauses of 10-15 seconds without a decrease in heart rate are called periodic breathing and are a normal phenomenon. There are different types of neonatal apnea including central, obstructive, and mixed types, understanding their types helps in taking appropriate preventive measures.