Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 10.0
Apnea of Prematurity
DESCRIPTION
Premature infants, particularly those born more than 7 weeks
early (before 32 weeks of pregnancy), have apnea. Having
apnea means there are times when they stop breathing (apnea
spells).
A baby with apnea:
- suddenly stops breathing for more than 10 seconds
- has a drop in heart rate below 90 beats a minute when the
apnea occurs
- becomes pale or bluish around the mouth and face during
an apnea spell
- starts breathing again by himself or needs help to
restart breathing.
Apnea may happen once a day or many times a day. The more
immature the baby is, the more frequent the apnea spells
are. As the baby matures, he outgrows the apnea.
It is normal for babies to have pauses in their heart and
breathing rates. The normal heart rate for babies is
between 120 and 160 beats a minute. Many babies have brief
drops in the heart rate. The drop in heart rate is
considered normal if the heart rate returns to normal by
itself and there is no breathing pause or change in the
baby's skin color when the drop occurs. It is not normal if
the baby's heart rate drops below 80 beats a minute and the
baby becomes pale or bluish.
Babies normally breathe 20 to 60 times a minute. It is
normal for babies to stop breathing for up to 10 to
12 seconds. These breathing pauses are considered to be
normal if the baby begins breathing again by himself and
there is no change in the baby's skin color and no drop in
heart rate. Babies may also have a breathing pattern in
which they have a breathing pause and then breathe several
rapid shallow breaths. This is called periodic breathing
and is also considered to be normal. Pauses between breaths
that are longer than 15 seconds or pauses that occur with a
change in the baby's skin color and a drop in heart rate are
not normal.
CAUSE
A baby does not need to breathe before she is born because
she gets oxygen from the placenta. Once born, the baby
needs to breathe continuously to get oxygen. The brain
controls the breathing rate and rhythm. The premature
baby's brain is not yet programmed for nonstop breathing and
so the baby sometimes stops breathing. Apnea caused by an
immature brain is called central apnea. The premature baby
outgrows central apnea as the brain matures. Often babies
outgrow central apnea by 34 to 36 weeks after conception (a
post-conceptional age of 34 to 36 weeks).
Premature infants have another kind of apnea spell called
obstructive apnea. This kind of apnea occurs when their
fragile airway is blocked. The block may be caused by
mucous, or the baby may be in a position that kinks the
airway. The baby tries to breathe but can't move air
because of the blockage. Suctioning the airway or changing
the baby's position usually relieves the problem. Again,
growth and strengthening of the tissues in the airway solve
this problem.
Most premature babies have both kinds of apnea.
TREATMENT
The treatment for apnea is designed to protect the baby from
stopping breathing while we wait for him to outgrow the
problem.
- Monitors
Because premature and sick newborn babies are likely to
have apnea, all babies admitted to the special care
nursery (SCN) are attached to a monitor that
continuously measures heart rate and respiratory
(breathing) rate. This type of monitor is called a
cardiorespiratory monitor. If the baby stops breathing
for too long or his heart rate drops too low, the
monitor sounds an alarm to alert the staff. A nurse
then immediately checks the baby to see if he needs any
help.
Many alarms are false alarms because the monitor did not
measure the breathing or heart rate correctly.
Sometimes the monitor leads come off the skin, causing
an alarm to sound. Someone must look at the baby and
determine what is going on. The monitor is only a
machine; a person needs to determine the meaning of the
alarm.
A record of the number of apnea spells is kept by the
bed to keep track of how the baby is doing.
- Stimulation
When the monitor alarm sounds, the nurse goes to the
baby and observes. She determines whether the baby is
breathing, what the heart rate is, and whether there is
any change in the color of the baby's skin. Many times
the baby starts breathing again by herself and does not
need any help.
If the baby is not breathing, her back, arms, or legs
are rubbed. The baby's head may be turned to a
different side or she may be turned over. This kind of
stimulation is continued until the baby is clearly
trying to breathe again. If the baby remains pale or
bluish, oxygen may be given to her. Occasionally the
baby may be given some breaths with a bag filled with
oxygen to help her start breathing again. This is
called bag-and-mask breathing.
- Medications
Several medications can stimulate the part of the brain
that controls breathing and can reduce the number of
apnea spells. Aminophylline and theophylline are the
most commonly used drugs. They can be given directly
into the veins (intravenously, or IV) or by mouth.
Caffeine can also be very effective and is given by
mouth.
Side effects from the medication are usually mild. They
include fast heart rate, throwing up, and irritability.
The levels of medication in the blood can be measured
and the dosage adjusted to get just the right level and
avoid most side effects.
The baby keeps getting medication until he has outgrown
the apnea.
- Respiratory support
The more immature a baby is, the more frequent and
severe the apnea can be. If the apnea spells are very
frequent or very severe and the baby needs vigorous
stimulation or mask-and-bag breathing to start breathing
again, the baby may need help with her breathing so she
can rest. Nasal CPAP and a ventilator are two ways to
help the baby breathe.
- Nasal CPAP
Nasal CPAP is a device that fits into the baby's nose
and blows oxygen under pressure into the baby's
airway and lungs. CPAP can reduce the number of
apnea spells and is often helpful for babies who have
obstructive apnea. A baby on nasal CPAP does all the
breathing herself.
- Ventilator
Babies who are very small or who have very frequent,
severe spells of apnea often need to be put on a
ventilator to help their breathing. A tube is put
through the mouth and into the windpipe (trachea).
Tape across the baby's upper lip holds the tube in
place. The ventilator blows air and oxygen under
pressure through the tube and into the lungs to give
the baby extra breaths. The baby is left on the
ventilator for a while to give time for growth and
maturation.
After a few days or weeks the baby is taken off the
ventilator (extubate) to see if she is ready to
breathe on her own. Sometimes it takes several tries
before the baby is able to stay off the ventilator.
Using the ventilator does not cause the baby to get
lazy or forget how to breathe. The baby is being
given time to mature.
- Other causes of apnea
A premature baby's apnea may be worsened by other
problems the baby may have. Infection, anemia (low red
blood cell count), and an imbalance of minerals in the
blood can all cause a baby's apnea to worsen. If such
problems are corrected, the apnea will occur less often
and be less severe. Your baby's physician may look for
these problems if the apnea suddenly gets worse.
DISCHARGE FROM THE HOSPITAL
Most premature babies outgrow their apnea at a
post-conceptional age of 34 to 36 weeks. If they are apnea
free for a week--that is, they do not have an apnea spell
for at least a week--they will probably not have apnea
again.
The decisions for discharge from the hospital may be
different for each baby, but here are some general
guidelines:
- All families who have babies with apnea are encouraged to
be trained in infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
before the baby is discharged. Although it is unlikely
that you will ever have to use CPR, it is best for you to
be prepared.
- If a baby has never been given medication for apnea, he
may be considered ready for discharge when he has not had
apnea for 7 days.
- If a baby given medication for apnea does not have apnea
for 7 days and is ready to go home, he may be sent home
with a prescription for theophylline or caffeine. After
he has grown and matured for about a month his medication
may be stopped. Theophylline is given by mouth three
times a day. Caffeine is given by mouth once a day.
- If a baby on medication is apnea free but not ready to go
home for other reasons, the theophylline or caffeine may
be stopped and the baby will be observed for apnea for 5
to 7 days. If the baby has apnea again, he may be given
medication for it again.
- Sometimes a baby keeps having apnea spells despite
treatment with theophylline or caffeine. In these cases
your baby's physician may recommend home monitoring to
allow earlier discharge from the hospital. Before your
baby is sent home, your physician will probably want to
see him go 5 to 7 days without apnea. Then the family
may be taught how to use a monitor at home. These
monitors are similar to the monitors used in the hospital
and will sound an alarm if the baby's breathing or heart
rate changes. As with all monitors, many false alarms
occur. Most babies do not need home monitors.
LONG-TERM OUTCOME
Apnea caused by prematurity is not a cause of SIDS (sudden
infant death syndrome, or crib death). SIDS cannot be
predicted. Usually babies who die of SIDS do not give any
clues there is a problem before they die. There are no
tests to predict which babies are at risk for SIDS. Babies
who have had apnea of prematurity are not necessarily at a
higher risk for SIDS. Your baby's physician makes decisions
for home monitoring based on how the baby is outgrowing his
apnea spells, not to protect him from SIDS.
All babies outgrow apnea caused by prematurity, although
some may take longer than others. Almost all babies stop
having apnea by 1 month after their due date (44 weeks
post-conceptional age). Apnea does not cause long-term
brain damage, and babies whose apnea lasts a long time do
not have more problems than other babies. Apnea is one of
the more frightening problems premature babies can have, but
rest assured, they do outgrow it.
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