Sleep Apnea Monitor

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   I need to buy a baby monitor for sleep apnea but have no idea which one to get and what it would do?
   I need to buy a baby monitor for sleep apnea but have no idea which one to get and what it would do?
   What monitor would you recomend?
   Not sure why bubs is having apnea episodes but it could just be from relux?
   Bubs is 4 days old.
   *sorry, its ment to say reflux*

   • ANSWER:
     get the one that has the video monitor

2. QUESTION:
   If you wear a monitor for sleep apnea and hold your breath will it record as not breathing?
   Just curious, little one likes to play. So I wondered if he holds his breath on purpose during night will the monitor record as not breathing.
   The test will be done at home on a portable monitor.

   • ANSWER:
     No It is very sophisticated. You have an EEG, EMG, EOG, EKG,flw sensors, a snore mike, belts and many other wires. the whole thing is also video taped.

     If you hold your breath you, you will not have any flow but your muscles will be contracting. Also they can tell that you are awake by the EEG. They can tell if you are reading by the pattern on the eeg.

     OSA or obstructive sleep apnea is no flow but there is an attempt to breath from the belt. The stop has to be a certain length.

     CSA or central sleep apnea is no flow and no attemp to breath. This is very rare.

     There is no fooling on the sleep test. Ask the tech, the weirdest thing they have every seen. You will hear some very interesting stories

3. QUESTION:
   2 month old on sleep apnea monitor--need help?
   My 2 month old son is on a sleep apnea monitor day and night. He's been on it ever since he was 2 weeks old. It has only alarmed for apnea (not breathing) once this whole time and all the other times it alarms is for low heartbeat. So anyway, the average times it would alarm would be maybe 2 times in the day and once or twice at night for low heartbeat and that would be it. Mostly the daytime alarms would be when he would be eating and forget to breath. All of a sudden for the past 3 nights his low heartbeat alarm goes off so much at night I never even fall asleep. It's not a mishap with the machine as I have checked and rechecked it many times. But I just think it's weird that it alarms so much at night and none during the day even though he is also sleeping much of the day still. I'm wondering if anything I may be doing is causing it, such as dressing him too warm or something. If anyone else has had experience with monitors I would appreciate the advice. I'm probably taking him to the doctor Monday by the way.
   Much thanks, ladies!
   Does anyone know how much longer a baby has to stay on a monitor if they've only had apnea once the whole time?
   Okay, we got the machine checked today and found out whoever set it to begin with set it too high--on 100 instead of 75 or 80, and that's why it kept going off. It was way too sensitive. I hope this helps anyone elso who may have this problem. Don't let them talk you into thinking you're not using the machine right--insist that they check it!

   • ANSWER:
     My son is on an apnea monitor also. When the low heart rate alarm is going off too frequently, it's no longer doing its job and needs to be reset. What might be considered a low enough rate to be dangerous in a 2 week old is not necessarily bad for a 2 month old. Tell your doctor and they will most likely reset the machine to allow for his growth.

4. QUESTION:
   Question for parents who used a sleep apnea monitor on newborns?
   We are supposed to start using a sleep apnea monitor on our son who is just over one week old tonight. There is a history of sleep apnea in my husband's family. His brother also died of SIDS when he was a few months old. I haven't noticed any breathing problems with our son, we are just doing this to be safe.

   I am really nervous about hooking him up to this tonight. I have to put a sticky patch under each arm pit that are attached to a machine that will alarm up if there is a problem with his heart rate or breathing.

   What is it like to use one of these machines? I'm nervous about how he'll react to something attached to him, about the alarm scaring him (they told us we can get quite a few false alarms), trying to get his clothes on around it, especially zip-up sleepers with feet, and swaddling him around the cords.

   • ANSWER:
     You may want to ask if you can skip using one of those monitors and can use an Angelcare monitor instead. It's a pad that slips under the crib mattress and detects his breathing and will alert you if he stops--same setup, but can be used longer and he won't be able to pull off the wires as he gets older. Plus, less likely to get a false alarm. There are other movement/sensor monitors out there, but this was the first brand name to come to mind. It does the same thing but without the annoyances of the wires and patches which can cause skin irritation (I am allergic to them and I don't have the sensitive skin of a newborn).

     http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2970307&CAWELAID=142497369

5. QUESTION:
   sleep apnea monitors for babys?
   I am looking for a sleep apnea monitor for our baby on the way, my husband and i have recently lost our first daughter while she was sleeping and we would like to find an apnea monitor preferably one that is like a mat or goes under the mattress so there arnt any cords or the sticky pads to put on the babys skin if you know of any that are good ones then please let me know what they r called and where i can get it thank you very much

   • ANSWER:

6. QUESTION:
   anyone's baby have sleep apnea and on monitor?
   My baby is about 8 months of age. He was born at 32 weeks, that was his main problem while in the hospital, his heart lowering, or he stops breathing, so he had to come home on a monitor that alarms us if he stops breathing or his heart lowers in rate. I was wondering if anyone else's baby had to be on the monitor and how long were they on it? I was told he should be off when he would have been full term..wellllll he is 8 months and still on it and still having episodes, more frustrating than anything!
   Wow, thank you so much for all this information. He has an appt. to have his monitor downloading to see how many episodes are true and what is happening and how often they are really happening. I will def. call ahead and ask about the nCPAP. Thanks again so very much!

   • ANSWER:
     First, I hope your son is on an nCPAP and if he's not he should be put on one immediately. That's a nasal Continous Positive Airway Pressure which keeps the upper airway open so your baby can breathe all night without apnea episodes. Do it as soon as possible. I can't begin to tell you how important this is. I highly recommend it. BTW, a lot of doctors just like to say stuff like "aw shucks, he'll grow out of it", etc. Don't believe them. If your doctor won't prescribe an nCPAP then demand that he does. And if he still won't then get another doctor. He may also be old enough to get a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy now which typically cures sleep apnea. Since he's 8 months old you may also want to consider putting him to sleep on his stomach since that alleviates sleep apnea and because the SIDS statistics regarding back sleep are more and more being called into question. For adults the cure for sleep apnea is a tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy or nCPAP. Best of luck. I highly suggest getting this treated right away as it can cause a lot of negative problems in the long run. And when he's old enough I would highly recommend a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy but if not then defintely a CPAP. Best of Luck. Sorry for writing so much.

     The following article is a bit technical but it it really shows how helpful nCPAP's are

     http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/content/full/116/1/10

     Here's a quote from the article above:
     "After treatment with nCPAP, the parents commented that there was an improvement in their infant's daytime behavior. They described their infants as being more alert during wakefulness, and feeding was completed more easily without rests. The parents also reported that treatment with nCPAP required checking the infant during the night to ensure that the mask had not moved and that CPAP was being delivered correctly. However, the parents stated that the improvement in their infant's sleep and daytime behavior was worth this necessary effort. In addition, in three infants who had been treated previously with nasopharyngeal intubation, their parents mentioned that nCPAP therapy was easier to manage and that they preferred nCPAP treatment to the nasopharyngeal tube. Additionally, nCPAP therapy was followed by an accelerated growth in three infants who had failure to thrive at the time OSA was diagnosed. Within 3 months of CPAP therapy, there were rapid increases in both their length and weight; however, owing to the small number of infants, no statistical analysis was performed. "

     Here's another article:

     http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2002/sleepapnea.htm

     Stomach sleep articles:

     http://cgi.thescientificworld.co.uk/cgi-bin/processHtml.pl?Id=2005.03.71.html&format=Dreamweaver

     http://www.oandp.com/edge/issues/articles/2006-12_02.asp

7. QUESTION:
   Sleep Apnea and my newborn?
   my 24 day old son is on a apnea monitor for a sleep apnea. He does stop breathing everyday but on the days he has problem he stops 2-3 times. It so scary. any parents with advice. What advice did your doctors give? Is there anything to help? how long will was you baby on a monitor?
   He is not on any medications or cafe. I have a monitor that will go under his matress after the monitor come off.

   • ANSWER:
     Please consider co-sleeping, mom's breathing will help regulate the baby's. If you absolutely will not co-sleep at least consider putting the crib right beside mom's side of the bed.

     '"Our newborn was on a monitor and slept in a cradle next to our bed. One night I heard her gasping. I know baby noises, and these weren't normal noises. As soon as I picked her up and put her next to me in bed, she breathed regularly. My pediatrician told me I was just a nervous mother. If her breathing didn't wake her up, it wasn't a problem. He told me it was my problem, and if I moved her out of our room I wouldn't hear her. I kept badgering pediatricians to study her and indeed they found she had apnea eighteen percent of the time. When she slept with me I noticed a difference. She breathed with me. My doctor still thought I was a nervous, crazy woman, and said she would be fine if I would just leave her alone."

     http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/t071000.asp

     "With the generous support of the National Institutes of Child and Human Development, Drs. Sarah Mosko, Christopher Richards and I are presently exploring the effects of mother-infant pairs sleeping apart and together over successive nights in a sleep laboratory. Our studies show that while co-sleeping, infants breastfeed more frequently and for longer total duration; they have more arousals, many of which are induced by the mother's movements or sounds, and that the infants spend less time in the deep stage of sleep from which some infants have difficulty arousing (apnea). We have been impressed with both the mother's and infant's acute responsiveness to the other's activities, all of which seem to change the infant's physiology in ways that look potentially helpful in resisting a SIDS event, although we cannot prove this at this time."

     http://www.naturalchild.org/james_mckenna/sleeping_safe.html

8. QUESTION:
   has anyone used a baby apnea/movement monitor??? please give some input?
   My daughter was born early at 32 weeks and now I just brought her home. And I'm sooooo deathly afraid she's going to stop breathing while she sleeps, and I'm so used to her being hooked up to the monitors at the hospital and knowing she's okay but now, she's home and I'm constantly making sure she's breathing and I am not getting a wink of sleep due to my paranoia. So I've been looking at some infant movement monitors that monitor sleep, and apnea. Has anyone used them? There's also something called the "Respisense Movement Monitor" That is sold in the UK and I just found it here... I know some people may think I'm over reacting, but since my daughter started out in the NICU it's scary. .. Besides I"m a first time mom. So please no comments about how I'm overreacting, I would just like some input on the monitors... thank you!! Some of the ones I"m looking at are the "angelcare movement monitor" and baby sense.
   Oh and I was wondering if there was one I could use in a bassinet and crib

   • ANSWER:
     My best friend uses the angelcare movement monitor and loves it!!! It starts beeping after 15 seconds of no movement/breath!! It works great!! I'm going to get it for my second child!!

9. QUESTION:
   Can sleep apnea reoccur even after an infant has "out grown" it?
   My son was on an apnea monitor from the time he was 4 months old until 9 months. He stopped having episodes so they took him off the monitor and said he probably just outgrew it. Now he is almost 22 months old and the last couple of weeks he's been having issues sleeping at night. Waking up 4 and 5 times a night, scared out of his mind and coming running and screaming into my bedroom. I thought something in his room was scaring him. Until last night anyways. I sat with him next to his bed for an hour trying to calm him back into sleep. He finally fell asleep and I was sitting with my hand on his back and at the same time I noticed he wasn't breathing he woke up with a start and started crying all panicky. I sat with him until he fell asleep again to see if it happened again and sure enough about 10 minutes after he fell asleep he stopped breathing for about 10 seconds and woke up freaking out.

   I'm wondering if maybe he never actually outgrew it and the monitor just wasn't picking it up anymore. I say that because the monitor wasn't set to go off until he ceased breathing for 20 seconds.

   Anyways, I'm going to try to get him in to the doctor next week but have any of you that had infants with sleep apnea had it reoccur as a toddler?

   Thanks so much!

   • ANSWER:
     before his apnea may have been due to an immature nature of a premature infant. I have never heard of it at 22 months. Now he may have some short of sleep apnea due to obstruction. How are his tonsils. There is also something called central sleep apnea.

     visit sleepnet.com and ask your question on the child/infant message board.

     Best wishes

10. QUESTION:
    How can I test if I have sleep apnea?
    Hello,
    From the symptoms I suspect that I've sleep apnea.I want to confirm it. What are the possible available to test if I really have sleep apnea?
    I live alone,so no one to monitor for me. Is there any instrument available which I can use to monitor my breathing and check if I've sleep apnea or not?
    If available any brand suggestion?

    • ANSWER:
      As far as I know you can't. I have sleep apnea and use a CPAP (continuous pressure) machine to sleep at night. You should talk to your regular doctor about your suspicions. He/she will go through a questionaire with you and if you score the right way, he/she will set up an appointment at a sleep clinic where they will observe your sleep and diagnose you. You should also check with your insurance company. From what I understand, they don't all cover the sleep centers.

11. QUESTION:
    My 6 month old is on an Apnea Monitor, and has learned how to unplug it at night. Any suggestions?
    My 6 month old son wears an Apnea monitor, only when he is sleeping during the night. (He wears it because of the sudden loss of our first son, and because he also has breath holding spells.) During the night, he has started to grab the wires from the electrodes and pull them out. Of course, this sets of the Loose-Lead alarm. The alarms on the Apnea Monitor are VERY loud, and the only way to make them stop is to fix it. My husband and i are having to get up almost every hour to fix him doing this, and loosing much sleep. Since he is old enough to roll around now, he can find a way to get a hold of the wires; it seems to be a game to him. My husband jokingly said to buy a baby straight-jacket, so he cant grab the wires....lol (i dont think they make those). What can i do? He has to stay on the monitor until age 1!

    (Okay, for those of you who dont know, and Apnea Monitor monitors his heart and breath rate, and if he stops breathing or his hear rate changes, an alarm goes off.)

    • ANSWER:
      I would ask your doctor if there was another way to monitor him. My daughter was in the hospital and they had some sort of band-aid looking thing stuck on her foot and it monitored her breath rate and heart rate. It was wrapped around her little foot and it was hard for even the nurses to get off. It would help with him pulling wires because it would be attatched to his foot and away from his little hands.

12. QUESTION:
    If you have a CPAP machine for sleep apnea, how often should it be adjusted?
    I got mine four years ago but have not had an additional night at the sleep lab since then. Is this something that needs to be periodically monitored or should I just let sleeping (snoring?) dogs lie?

    • ANSWER:
      I think this is one of those "no news is good news" kind of things. As a fellow sufferer, I know that the pressure setting on your CPAP was prescribed by your doctor based on the resuslts of your sleep lab experience. As long as the machine is providing the desired results (no snoring or apnea), then I'm pretty sure nothing else need be done. Obviously, you need to maintain the filters--clean or replace, as the case may be.

13. QUESTION:
    what should i expect if i am going to a sleep clinic for sleep apnea testing?
    what if i cant sleep because of all the weird machines atached to me and the weird environment? what are u suppsoed to bring? what if you have to pee in the middle of the night? are there ppl monitoring you in the night or just machines?

    • ANSWER:
      Have had several sleep studies as well as have worked in a sleep lab. It is different sleeping in the lab but the lab is set up like a hotel room. Most people do ok.

      You arrive around 8-9 pm. Fill out paperwork. Put on PJ (sweats are fine) Then the tech will hook up the wires. You have an EEG, EKG, wires on your face and on your lower legs. There is also a snore mike and a flow sensor like an oxygen cannuala. The wires are bundled together and plugged into a small box about the size paperback book. This box gets plugged into an outlet in the wall. There is also a camera in the room to monitor you. The techs are in another room closeby. There is also an intercom. If you need to go to the bathroom, you just signal the tech. They will come in and unhook the box from the wall and you will take it into the bathroom with you. It is no big deal. Everyone generally goes to the bathroom at least a couple of times a night.

      The techs will wake you up around 5 am and unhook you. Often they have breakfast available. Most have a shower if you have to go to work. I generally just go home.

      To get the EEG stuff out of your hair, use a washclothe and wipe as much as you can and comb it out. When showering, wash your hair with conditioner prior to washing your hair or the combo shampoo like pert. this seems to help get the goop out of your hair.

      What to bring includes your insurance info, copay, tolietries, a pillow if you wish, something loose and comfortable to sleep in, slippers if you normally wear them, any medications, a book to read while waiting if you want. The room usually has a tv.

      Any more questions let me know.

14. QUESTION:
    I think I have sleep apnea.I had a sleep study done a few years back,but as it turned out I had a very rare un
    eventful night of sleep.I slept like a baby.Is there any device or machine that can monitor my sleep behavior at home?My husband is scared that when I stop breathing that I may not start back.Does anyone have any suggestions?

    • ANSWER:
      Find another doc and take your husband in and talk to him or her and get another sleep study. It may have been long enough for your insurance to fund another study or something may have changed in your health IE; weight loss or gain that may warrant another study. Maybe a new doc may just make a good enough case for one. Another thought is to start getting a copy of your old study and get it reread, the data is subjective and another set of eyes may see things differently in a borderline case.

      Sleep apnea has been an issue in my family and I understand your problem. Good luck to you and your husband, find someone who will listen to you and keep after them until you get your study. Answers are good, after you have current information you can look at options whether a Pap mask or surgery. However, if surgery is suggested as a remedy remember this surgery is a serious piece of work, with a tough recovery and get a second opinion to be sure you have no other choices.

15. QUESTION:
    Sleep Apnea: i used to have it, could it come back? do i still have it and it's just not active or something?
    hola, mmkay when i was little i had sleep apnea and i had to be monitored when i slept. and i guess i dont have it anymore because im not monitored and i dont take any medicines or anything.
    what i'd like to know is:

    *could sleep apnea come back one night?
    *do people usually grow out of it
    *is it usually in just babies/kids?
    *is there medicines to take if it does/can come back?

    Thanks <3

    yes im sure it was sleep apnea, one night i stopped breathing and my mother woke up to the sound of me sleeping.

    • ANSWER:
      I'm pretty sure that if you have it, it just doesn't go away .. My mother has it, and she uses a machine that puts air into her .. So maybe think about investing in one of them ..

      Good luck,

      Josh.

16. QUESTION:
    sleep apnea, sleep disorders,sleep tests?
    i had apnea of infancy when i was first born and was in the hospital for 3 months. after that i slept on an inclined bed with a monitor for a year. im 22 now and i have always talked and walked in my sleep but it is hard for my bf to sleep with me yelling profanities and screaming. i was wondering if anyone knew if there is a link between the infancy problem and now. I also jerk alot in my sleep and sometimes wake up because i "forget" to breathe. my bf says i talk a few times a night. I just want to know if anyone has any things in common and what the treatments would be

    • ANSWER:
      It does sound like you still have sleep apnea. The only way to get diagnosis and treatment is to have your doctor refer you to a sleep center. They will monitor your breathing and sleep patterns and diagnose any sleep disorders. If it is sleep apnea, they will prescribe a CPAP machine and determine the setting you need to control it. A CPAP machine does not produce oxygen. It just uses forced air to keep your airways open (prevent them from collapsing) while sleeping. I have sleep apnea diagnosed about two years ago. My face mask is very comfortable and I sleep so much better. I actually feel like I have slept when I wake up. Also my husband is so much happier now that I am quiet at night. I don't disturb him anymore either. It only took a couple of nights to get used to the mask and the machine itself is very quiet. No problem at all.

17. QUESTION:
    Those who co-sleep with baby???
    When and how did you get your child to their own bed? My son was born premature and came home on an apnea monitor because he had sleep apnea and I was so scared to be far away from him so he slept in my bed next to me so I could be right there when he stopped breathing. Once the monitor went away, I was scared that he would stop breathing so he still slept in my bed. When he was about 10 months he went to his crib and everything was fine until he got really sick. Then he started sleeping in my bed again. He has been sleeping with me for about 9 months now. I want him out of our bed, my poor hubby has to sleep on the couch since my son is a very active sleeper. I bought him a big boy bed but he won't stay in it at night?

    So, what age did you "kick" your child out of your bed ? And how did you do it?

    • ANSWER:
      Well our 2 yr old is still in our room, but now in his own bed... He was in our bed when tiny, then moved him into a cot (was taking naps in the day in it) he started to climb out his cot at 15mths, so we took the side off his cot & tethered it to our bed... We finally afforded a bed about 5mths ago!!

      He does still come into ours if ill or at around 5 am when he wants to get up!! Lol!!

18. QUESTION:
    help my newborn has an apnea monitor?
    My daughter is 10 days old and on an apnea monitor. She has only been home for three days, she was born at 36 wks and spent the first week in a children's hospital because she inhaled fluid during delivery. There were no problems caused by this she was just on an antibiotic for seven days then sent home. She is on the monitor because in 2002 I had a little boy that passed away in his sleep when he was two months old. I am sure the monitor is the best thing for her and it does easy my mind. However, the monitor has gone off several times since we have been home. She seems to be fine every time it goes off. I called her nurse and he said it sometimes does just go off. We have only been home for three days and I'd say it went off about 20 times since we brought her home. It drives me crazy, my heart stops every time I hear it go off. Her father and I are so afraid to leave her side. I'm afraid to be home alone with her because I just panic when I hear it. Her father is calmer than I am and just goes over to her and picks her up and makes sure she is ok. I always want to run to the phone and call someone. I am so afraid she will be unresponsive every time I hear it. Does anyone else have a newborn on an apnea monitor that goes off all the time? And how do you deal with it? How long do they usually keep newborns on the monitors? I know its whats best for her and I'd be going even crazier if she didnt have it. I am just so afraid of her and the monitor right now and she has only had it for three days I know we still have a long way to go.

    • ANSWER:
      My daughter (3rd child) has had her apnea monitor for 20 months now. We are just about to give it up. What brand is yours? We use the Babysense ll. The monitor we use does go off from time to time, and we do the following checklist:

      1. Check all connections. Sometimes if the cords aren't plugged into the alarm it will go off continuously because the alarm box is not recieving any electronic signals.

      2. Check baby has not rolled off off sensor pads. (Obviously in your case this is not an issue)

      3. Check there are the required amount of sensor pads being used at a time. For a newborn you use one. For an older baby who moves around (rolls/crawls etc) use two. That way if they roll off of one it won't go off.

      4. Check batteries. Make sure you use alkaline batteries.

      5. Check the sensor pad is positioned on a flat surface.

      I'm not sure in your case, but my alarm also goes off if the breathing rate drops below a certain rate, and also obviously if the alarm box recieves no movement signals

      I have noticed if I have a fan on in the room the monitor picks that up as movement, so when I pick the baby OUT of her cot the alarm WONT sound. Check that aswell if you have a fan or airconditioner in your room. To test this, turn your fan/airconditioner on without the baby in the cot. If the alarm does not sound it is picking up on the air flow as 'movement'.

      The fact your baby is so young may mean she has an errattic breathing pattern. If that is the case it should get better over time. In the meantime, to be thorough, document times and dates of the alarms, and also how your baby reacted to you picking her up etc and present to your peadiatrician.Thats what I had to do. They will not give a sleep study here in Australia without that. My 20mth old has a sleep condition (found through using the monitor) that was only jusyt diagnosed. I am so glad I brought the alarm.. who knows.,.

      Good luck, if you have any questions feel free to ask. The first thing I did before disturbing my baby's sleep and turning off the alarm was to check the colour of her lips and nose. If they look normal she is more than likely OK

19. QUESTION:
    Apnea monitor and my 6 month old?
    Hello everyone, I could really use some advice from people that have been in my situation. my daughter was born 6 weeks early, spent 20 days in the NICU and came home on an apnea monitor. My doctor is ready to take her off of the monitor on Friday at her 6 month check. According to the latest download of the machine she did not have any breathing spells that lasted longer than 19 seconds (so she self-recovered on all of them) And even though the monitor goes off about once a week, it is due to shallow breathing and the monitor not picking it up. The last four nights it has gone off multiple times through out her sleep (about once an hour) and today it went off once with each of her naps. There is no color change and her heart rate did not lower, but its still going off. I am making myself sick with the thought that the monitor will be leaving soon. I have asked my doctor to refer us to a pulmonary specialist who can hopefully explain what is going on. She was born with under developed lungs and was on a ventilator and an ocillator for the first 5 days of her life, she also has two holes in her heart, PDA & VSD (both are much smaller now and the cardiologist isn't worried right now) At first she was diagnosed with Apnea related to prematurity, but after she passed her original due date they said it was due to Reflux, even though she showed none of the signs and the 45 days she was on Zantac there was no change for better or worse.

    Is shallow breathing normal for a 6 month old, adjusted age 4 3/4 month adjusted? Is it something to be concerned about?

    Should I look into getting a second opinion from another pediatrition as well?

    I feel like my pediatrition isn't aggressive enough, and while she is nice and answers all my questions, I don't feel like she is showing enough concern or doing a great job of explaining everything to me.

    Please someone help me... I am so worried...
    Her leads are in the proper place and I put new ones on every 3 days to ensure that they are reading properly. I know that when it alarms apnea and she is breathing shallow to change her position and I do, but an hour later it goes off again...

    Has anyone had a child on an apnea monitor and had issues with it going off due to shallow breathing? If so what did your doctor say and how did you handle it?

    Thank you, sorry so long, but I'm loosing my sanity fast....

    • ANSWER:
      Hello,

      my daughter came home on an apena monitor, oxygen, and pusle ox. She was born 17 weeks premature and spent 122 days in the NICU.

      The apnea monitor was gone within 30 days. I, too, was nervous but half of the time the alarm went off, it wasnt a true apnea spell.

      Shallow breathing is something common in babies. My daughter also had a PDA which eventually resolved on its on but when she was discharged it was still there but very, very small.

      It was hard for me to let go of my apnea monitor more so for peace of mind than my baby actually needing it.

20. QUESTION:
    Apnea Monitor and my 6 month old?
    Hello everyone, I could really use some advice from people that have been in my situation. my daughter was born 6 weeks early, spent 20 days in the NICU and came home on an apnea monitor. My doctor is ready to take her off of the monitor on Friday at her 6 month check. According to the latest download of the machine she did not have any breathing spells that lasted longer than 19 seconds (so she self-recovered on all of them) And even though the monitor goes off about once a week, it is due to shallow breathing and the monitor not picking it up. The last four nights it has gone off multiple times through out her sleep (about once an hour) and today it went off once with each of her naps. There is no color change and her heart rate did not lower, but its still going off. I am making myself sick with the thought that the monitor will be leaving soon. I have asked my doctor to refer us to a pulmonary specialist who can hopefully explain what is going on. She was born with under developed lungs and was on a ventilator and an ocillator for the first 5 days of her life, she also has two holes in her heart, PDA & VSD (both are much smaller now and the cardiologist isn't worried right now) At first she was diagnosed with Apnea related to prematurity, but after she passed her original due date they said it was due to Reflux, even though she showed none of the signs and the 45 days she was on Zantac there was no change for better or worse.

    Is shallow breathing normal for a 6 month old, adjusted age 4 3/4 month adjusted? Is it something to be concerned about?

    Should I look into getting a second opinion from another pediatrition as well?

    I feel like my pediatrition isn't aggressive enough, and while she is nice and answers all my questions, I don't feel like she is showing enough concern or doing a great job of explaining everything to me.

    Please someone help me... I am so worried...

    Thank you

    • ANSWER:
      Hi! I also am a Mom of preemies {twins} born 12wks early.My one daughter also had apnea and I to was sent home with the monitor.I was so scared that something was going to happen, but it didn't.My daughter also diagnosed w/reflux causing the apnea who knows?I understand how you feel now that it is time to let the monitor leave.How will you know if she stops breathing, etc?It's very scary, but she will be okay you will get up a lot during the days and nights at first just to make sure, but you'll see she is ok and soon you will be at ease.but there is no harm in getting a 2nd opinion and I have done this often.If you feel that strongly that she is not ready then it is ur right and hopefully he'll understand that and help to put your mind at ease.I don't blame you.You and your baby have been through so much already as I know and you just want to take evry precaution necessary.When my daughter had the monitor d/c I was nervous and scared but I knew it was time.I drove myself crazy the 1st couple of wks constantly checking her to see if she was ok but as time went by I do it alot less now.You know your daughter better than anyone else.Did your daughter recover with in seconds?could it have been the electrodes just slid out of place for a sec when she moved?could it have been positional in any way?those montiors are so sensitive and I remember b4 mine was to come off it started goin off like crazy but it was because of one of those reasons.If your not happy w/ur Dr. you should really find someone you are happy with and who meets all of your needs and wants.It is very important to have a good relationship with your childs Dr.think about switching.good Luck.I might not have answered ur ? but Just to let you no ur not alone out there.

21. QUESTION:
    Sleep apnea in babies? Has anyone experienced this.?
    My friend's baby who is 11mths old set off her movement monitor last week. The parents ran in her room and everything was fine. Then this week her movement alarm went off again 4times before 11pm. The last time the mum ran in and the baby wasn't breathing she picked her up and shook her to wake her up. They went to hospital for over 24hours and the baby was monitored. Nothing happened while in hospital so they sent them home. The monitor has apparently gone off in the past few days and they have tested the monitor in case it's faulty but it works fine. I just happened to read a book and has sleep apnea in it which could be a cause I was wondering if this is what it sounds like?If anyone knows.
    Yes it is an Angelcare, thanks for the tip Alexanders and Katherines mama.

    • ANSWER:
      Is it the angel care monitor? I LOVE mine. My son and niece accidentally broke mine and I was in a panic over my daughter sleeping without it. I find that if the sensitivity is too high you can get false alarms. But I would rather get up for a false alarm then miss a real emergency. She may be in a deep sleep. My son did this when he was in a real deep sleep. Just turn down the sensitivity a bit. I had mine set at max and it went off all the time when he was older. I set it at 3 and half instead of 5 and that helped. He was still protected but no false alarms.

22. QUESTION:
    Do you think I have sleep apnea?
    I have always been overweight but gained about 60lbs during my pregnancy so I am obese. Since I've gained the weight my life has not been the same. I am constantly tired and have no energy and don't get things done. I used to have it together and my life was so in order but now I am a mess. I am also having a lot of emotional issues and am very angry and irritable at times. I don't feel as smart as I used to be either and have a hard time concentrating. Recently, I spent the night at a friend's house and was told I was snoring extremely loud while I was sleep. I had a physical and told my doc about the fatigue and he asked me if I had sleep apnea (as If I'm supposed to know if I do or don't). I went home and decided to monitor myself and I am constantly waking during the night, I haven't had a full night's rest since before I was pregnant. I use the bathroom at night at least 2 times and if I drink water before bed forget about it I will wake to pee 3-5 times. When I do wake in the morning I always feel like I didn't get enough sleep and I don't want to get out of bed. Last night I slept on the couch and 2 times I woke up and it felt like I gasped for air...it wasn't choking but more like a quick gasp. I also heard myself snoring really loud. I am starting to think I may have sleep apnea and this is why I've been feeling so horrible. I have an appt with my doc for tomorrow but until then I wanted to know what you think, does it sound like sleep apnea to you? Can you share your story with me so I can compare notes? Thanks

    • ANSWER:
      I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and I'm only 23. The problems started about a year and a half ago (at least what my boyfriend noticed). While there are two types of sleep apnea, since you mention the weight gain and the gasping for air while feeling exhausted throughout the day, it certainly sounds like you have sleep apnea. The only official way to diagnose it is to have a polysomnography, which will measure oxygen levels and sleep patterns.

      In mine, I had mixed apnea so sometimes I will stop breathing even if I'm not snoring. This has led to many problems in my life. Aside from being utterly exhausted, there is a lot of irritability and difficulty concentrating just like you mention.

      The one thing to be careful of is that it's not a thyroid problem because it can cause symptoms of being extremely tired as well. However, on the occasion I have woken up gasping for air, it wasn't fun.

      Without medial treatment, the best advice is to sleep on your side. If you have a tendency to roll onto your back, use a tennis ball to make that uncomfortable.

      For Obstructive Sleep Apnea, which is what it sounds like you have (I base this solely on the fact that you say the symptoms started after you gained weight from your pregnancy), if you can lose weight, the sleep apnea should (in theory) go away since there is less fat to block your breathing at night.

      Hope this helps. It's miserable to be so tired all the time. Good luck!

23. QUESTION:
    Is my 9 month old son having Sleep Apnea/Night Terrors?
    My 9 month old little boy is, to backtrack, a normally happy and cheerful little man. He isn't crawling quite yet, but gets to where he wants by rolling. He isn't 100% trying to pull himself up either, but he does sit independently once you help him a bit. He has 6 teeth. Two at the bottom and four in the top. He is about 30-something (forget exact) height wise, and 23lbs. Healthy and happy big boy. Doc said he is just fine.

    Now here's where it gets difficult.
    He will go to bed normally around 8-10pm depending, and will occasionally wake up in the middle of the night (around 2am) screaming as if someone was hurting him! His father and I wake up and rush in, to find him on his back, face red, crying and shaking his arms. He will gasp or hyperventilate as well. It takes about 10min or so to finally get him to totally relax. We keep things calm around him, and usually he goes right back to bed after 30min after he has screamed.

    It sounds like nightmares or teething, until you factor this in: he snores quite often. There was one time I stayed at my mothers and he was in the room with me, and snored so loud I thought it was my mother across the hallway. There was another instance where he was making hyperventilating or heavy breathing in his sleep. I shook him a little bit to try to wake him, and eventually he rolled over, but was still breathing a bit heavy. (he usually sleeps on his back or side) I have never seen any skin coloration changing with any of these, except the red face from crying. No blues or anything.

    There have also been times where I randomly hear him coughing in his sleep over the baby monitor.

    Lately these screaming episodes are happening more and more. I talked with his doc but she wasn't that helpful. Pretty much told me he was fine and that he was just having nightmares.

    What do you guys think? I'm very worried about him...
    Thanks =]

    PS- I have read a lot of the stuff online already, which generally talk about older children having Night Terrors. They say the child sits up, which my son can't do just quite yet on his own. Hence why I told you all about his current state of mobility. He rolls everywhere he wants to go. Kid would probably roll all the way out the door if I let him! LOL! <3
    And to the person who said it's an STD- I think that would have been picked up by now.... God forbid my 9 MONTH OLD SON ISN'T WALKING

    • ANSWER:
      Mmm my daughter wakes up at night screaming, but that's cause she wants her milk, probably your kid gets hungry and he wants to eat, or might be teething, you can give him pain reliever to calm him down. Or try sleeping with him to see how that work and you can have a better understanding of what's going on. If the room is to dark for your baby buy those small lights that can be really close to him so he doesn't get scared of the darkness. Babies are to small to know what fear is, so I don't think he is nightmares. Sing to him when he falls asleep so he is more secure about himself.

24. QUESTION:
    Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
    I wanted to know could I have this I'm 17 and I don't snore at all my parents have monitored me and I don't snore so could I have obstructive sleep apnea

    • ANSWER:

25. QUESTION:
    Sleep Apnea Question?
    I just had a sleep study done. Results were:

    28 sponatneous arousals.'
    1 REM arousals
    31 Snoring arousals
    total: 61

    Mild, intermittent snoring was noted while supine.
    Apnea-hypoapnea events per hour .89
    1 during REM and 4 events in Non REM

    Respiratory related arousals per hour: 5.69
    Mean Oxygen saturation: 96.61 0 desaturation episodes below 90% with a nadir of 90%

    Cadiac monitoring: Normal sinus rythm with no significant arrythmias noted.

    Diagnosis:

    Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea syndrome, adult.

    I am 26, currently BMI of 35, get only about 3 hours a sleep at night with exesseive daytime sleepiness, and have asthma.

    Should I worry?

    • ANSWER:
      Hmm.
      Your weight and asthma affects this, almost directly.

      You should always worry if you are not getting more than 8 hours of sleep a night.

      You should go see a doctor and see what they could do.
      Sleep upright so you can breathe easier.

      I'm not suggesting you take a sleeping pill, but you should probably limit food 2 hours from a normal bed time, limit light activity, and try to wind down from the rest of the day.

      If you need to, stay up for 24 hours and then go to sleep at a normal time that you could get the most rest.

26. QUESTION:
    Sleep apnea question.?
    My first son had sleep apnea due to acid reflux. When he was 2 months old, I walked in on him, and he wasn't breathing. I literally found him before he died, I believe. He was pale and floppy and non-responsive. Luckily, he woke up and began breathing again. That was one of the scariest feelings in the world.

    Anyway, I am due to have another one next month, and I am wondering if anyone knows if doctors allow breathing monitors upon request? Especially since my first son had it. I really don't want to have to go through that again.
    I appreciate the responses. I am afraid that they won't just let me get a breathing monitor for him. They should!! Think of all of the babies that unnecessarily pass away because they stop breathing? Should it have to come to that point? It seems like there are things that can be done to prevent that from happening. They should at least allow a monitor to record the breathing pattern and make sure it is good at least to give me peace of mind. Thanks also for the advice on the sleeping pad. I have seen those. I was going to ask about that in a separate question to see if they really work.

    • ANSWER:
      I don't know if they will provide them upon request but there are monitors that you can purchase. They are little pads that detect the slightest movements and if a child goes for so long without making breathing movements the alarm will sound.

      I know how scary it is to have a child with sleep apnea. My two year old was just diagnosed after having a sleep study done due to his snoring. He had his tonsils and adenoids removed and now seems healthy. We go back for another sleep study in about a month so hopefully everything is going to be better.

      I would ask the doctor about getting a monitor given your first child's history but if he/she says no I would look into one of those monitors just for some peace of mind.

      Good Luck!

27. QUESTION:
    Can I request for my daughter to be checked for sleep apnea? How do they test a infant for this?
    The other night my daughter's breathing patterns were quit off when she was sleep. (Doc says that happens with infants) She sleep with the Angle care sensor under her mattress and it went off. I ran in her room and she seem real silent. I pushed on her back and her little hands moved. I am so freaked out. The Anglecare monitor sensor went off twice that night. Trying to figure out what happen......and what to do next. I talked with her doctor and she told me to keep a eye on her at night and that was it.
    She is 7 weeks old

    • ANSWER:
      You should demand that she be checked for sleep apnea and if her doctor won't do it... then get another doctor. All it is, is a pack with wires that "stick" to her little chest and monitor her breathing. She stops breathing for even a second and that monitor goes off alerting you and startling her awake. My youngest had to wear one for months. It's really scary at first. And it's a lot to deal with. But it's better to be safe than sorry. Being as young as she is, she'll likely need to wear it around the clock except for baths for a while and then they'll take the recording device from the monitor and read the results.

      Good luck and God Bless

28. QUESTION:
    having problems with command sponsorship of my new baby with medical needs can someone help?
    I have a 2 month old daughter with sleep apnea. we need a home apnea monitor and the military will not get us one. My daughter was born in the states while I was on vacation and then returned to my husbands duty station. We are unable to EFMP because she was denied command sponsorship. We need to get her to the states so that she can get the medical assistance she needs does andyone have any idea how we can do this. My husband is airforce
    thanks

    • ANSWER:
      Have your husband talk to his chain of command. After talking to them they should have to do a 4187 requesting command sponsership depending on where he is stationed. Fill out the paperwork to enroll your daughter in the EFMP program. After all that if they are still denying your command sponsership have your husband talk to his branch manager and request a compasionate reassignment to a place that can accomodate your childs needs. If all else fals your husband can talk to the IG and see what his options are. His commander should be willing to help him out before IG is needed though.

29. QUESTION:
    My daughter was face up when i was delivering her.....???
    when i was delivering my daughter the doctor told me she was face up and he used his two fingers to turn her face down...she has a breathing problem and has been in the hospital in intensive care unit and must come home on a sleep apnea monitor...i have just read that a baby being face up and having to go into the i.c.u can cause cerebral palsy...has anyone ever had their child face up with any breathing problems etc and their child be healthy...i am unbelievably scared now

    • ANSWER:
      Cerebral palsy is generally caused prenatally. This is based on the fact that children born by c-section have just as much of a chance to have CP as children born vaginally. Many children are born face up. It makes a more painful labor for mom.

30. QUESTION:
    3 mos.old but 3 mos.premature.her apnea monitor doc. put her on cereal 2 help w/acid reflux.?
    she will be 4 months old Aug 9 so she is only a couple weeks shy...I was just wondering if I could introduce other foods now that she is on cereal she eats it out of a spoon great, she has no problems...like today my mother gave her about 1tblsp of cereal and 3 oz of milk she ate all of the cereal and 2 oz of milk, mind you she is a preemie so she still isn't drinking alot of formula..I was putting cereal in her bottle but i was told this isn't good so we switched it to the spoon. she still wakes up every 3 hours to eat even with cereal except during the night she sometimes will sleep through a feeding but i believe that is because she sleeps with me I don't give her cereal at night...
    sorry i didnt' specify..she is 3 months early so technically she is a newborn now..i have read online about giving them cereal but her doctor I think he is a pulmonoligist im not sure anyways wants her on cereal to help with acid reflux that why i was wondering if she could have anything else..

    • ANSWER:
      is she really 6 months? but 3 months corrected? or is she really 3 months, but only a newborn corrected age? You're suppose to go by there due date and not there birthday, so if she's almost 4 months corrected age then i would think it's ok to give her some cereal. I did with my daughter when she was 4 months corrected. But if she's really only technically a newborn, then no you shouldn't be giving solids because her body won't be able to handle them.

      EDIT: since she's really only a newborn you shouldn't be feeding any solids to her because her digestive system can't handle it. If she has severe acid reflux get your doctor to prescribe something for her or switch formula's. Maybe try Enfamil thickened. It's for babies that spit up alot or similac Isomil, which is a soy formula which can sometimes help spitting up. And as far as waking up every 3 hours is completly normal for a newborn, or a 3 month old. My daughter didn't sleep through the night until she was 4 months corrected age. Good luck!

31. QUESTION:
    I just had a sleep study for sleep apnea....?
    I had it done last night and they had me all wired up and monitored my brain waves, breathing, O2 levels, ect all night long. This morning they tole me that I started having "episodes" as the Dr. put it, as soon as I feel asleep and woke up off and on all night long, was only in REM sleep for less than 10 the whole night, my O2 levels kept dropping and I stopped breathing often. In a few days they are going to have me do another sleep study, except this time, put a CPAP mask on me. Are those uncomfortable? Do they seem to help? I'm so tired all the time and have a bad headache every morning because of this. Anyone else with this problem, I'd like whatever info you have, thanks.

    • ANSWER:
      Yes, they are uncomfortable but you will get used to it in time or You can try a different kind that just goes on the nose. It will help you to sleep better and your headaches should go away. I have had four sleep tests before I finally got a BiPap which is a bi Level machine.

32. QUESTION:
    NICU Parents of preemies with Bradycardia and apnea monitor.?
    My daughter was born @ 34 wks. Very Healthy lungs developed, no jaundice no medications or oxygen needed only stimulation when she has her A's & B's when sleeping.
    I had everything ready to take her home, and a full time home nurse that my insurance offers. I have never seen these spells for myself. It only happens when I'm not there for some reason.
    I was going to bring her home on a monitor, but I got a call fron the docotor that they want to observe her, and she will not be able to come home. That really upset me because there is nothing wrong with her. They are discharging babies on oxygen and feeding tubes and I feel very blessed that my baby did not have anything like that. My insurance pays 80% and has no spending limit. We know our hospital bill will be high.My baby's nurse said there is no reason for her to be there. Since we have good insurance can they keep her as long as they can?What rights do we have to bring our daughter home. Has anyone been through this before!

    • ANSWER:
      I would trust the doctor, not the nurse but feel free to get a second opinion! I see no reason why you would even be bringing money up at this point. The best thing to do is make sure she is healthy so you don't have a life threatening situation arrise in your care.

33. QUESTION:
    A concerned Mother of her baby?
    My son has GERD and the Doc just put him on Zantac which has helped him tremendously. He has been doing so much better with the Zantac and the switching of his formula but I had just read online that it is dangerous too put babies on Zantac and no one should do it cause it could cause many proplems and this really concerns me now. My son is only 3 months old and has battled with his Gerd which has caused him to have Sleep apnea,, he stops breathing and had to be put on a sleep apnea monitor 24 hours a day. we switched his formula to Enfamil AR which helped a little but not enough and he just has not been doing well with his gerd at all until he started taking his Zantac now. He no longer needs his monitor, only at night time and he is just so much better so now I dont know what to do after reading this information about the Zantac so if anyone on here knows anything or could give me some advice I would greatly appreciate it. I dont want my baby to suffer anymore,, Please help

    • ANSWER:
      my son had GERD as well. he didnt take Zantac he took Prevacid. it worked wonders! before then his reflux was so bad he would projectile vomit and sometimes nearly choke. he is now nearly 10 months and yesterday his Dr. said he didnt need the meds. today is his first day and he seems fine. no pain at all. he is not on AR lipil formula either, we were able to switch him to regular formula a couple weeks ago. it gets better with time, i can tell you that.

      the first couple months were hardest. i bought lots of bibs and went through them quick. we had a whole drawer of bibs!!! it was heartbreaking to see my son spit up all the time and washing all the time was a must!! just keep him elevated as much as possible! i held my baby so much all the way up to 4 months! I was scared if i put him down his reflux would get worse.

      dont worry about the Zantac. i know 3 babies who had to use it. one of them had to use both Prevacid and Zantac, she had it really bad. if you are scared about the Zantac ask what other options you have there are different meds for babies with reflux.

      i would recommend getting a Bumbo baby seat to keep him upright while playing. I didnt get it and i regretted it. I could have used it!!! Instead i always had to hold my baby upright while playing with him.

      the best thing i did was hold him through everything. if he was spitting up i would hold him even if it meant getting it on me. everyone told me to put him down, that i was spoiling him, but they didnt understand. i think holding him did help him at times. he's not spoiled either, now he justs wants to get down and GO!

      just be patient it probably wont last forever, most babies outgrow it. good luck, i know it will be hard having gone through it, but it gets better.

34. QUESTION:
    Tonsil and adnoid surgery at 14 months?
    My granddaughter has been on an apnea monitor since 4 months of age. Her most recent sleep study indicates Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea. In otherwords, they say her tonsils are too big and need to be removed.

    I am curious if other children who have had this surgery had any difficulties with the surgery and/or recovery because of their age?

    • ANSWER:
      My son had his adnoids and tonsils removed when he was about 2. There was no complications or problems. He just babied his throat when he talked for a while.

35. QUESTION:
    How do you know if doctors are doing enough for your child if there is so much information for them to review?
    My daughter's lung collapsed at birth and after three weeks was released from the NICU with no medications or machines. She was sounding very congested and her Dr. finally referred her to an ENT. That Dr. found that her adnoids were growing down into her throat which caused apnea. She is too young for surgery but her apnea monitor sounds often. A sleep study has confirmed that her saturation (blood oxygen) dropped below 70 % at times and put her on oxygen at home when she sleeps which is quite the challenge. Since then she has also been diagnosed with PDA and ASD Heart diseases; Anemia (even with iron suppliments); high platelet count; pulmonary hypertension. I'm at my witts end! I feel that I'm seeing all these different doctors and no one is putting the information together. They are all puzzled at how healthy she looks to have all of these things wrong. Is anyone in a simular situation or could shed some light on what could be going on? She is so precious. God bless!

    • ANSWER:
      I'm sorry your little one is having so much trouble. All you have described is complicated and complex,and without full knowledge about her condition and the MD's findings etc,none of here can possibly give you the answer's you deserve. This is something you will have to do,and you start with a meeting and possibly a conference call with several of her MD's. Don't be shy about asking the office staff for help,that's what they are good at.information and resources.You could ask a friend or family member to help you with all this extra stress.Take care,I will keep you in my prayers, SW RNP

36. QUESTION:
    my newborn?
    My son is 24 days old. and he is on a apnea monitor for sleep apnea. he does have a problem everyday but the days he does he seems to have more than one. Is there anything that helps. What advice have your doctors given you? Its so scary.

    • ANSWER:
      My mom has it but thats not the same. Maybe this forum will help you.

      http://www.medhelp.org/forums/RespiratoryDisorders/messages/118.html

37. QUESTION:
    Bring home baby on Monitors?
    My son is 10 days old. he was born monday the 5th. We took him home wensday the 7th. we took him back to the hospital the following morning because he stopped breathing twice and he was very yellow. I also couldn't get him up to eat. he went 8 hours without eating. they said he was Jaundice. He spent 3 nights with special lights on. They also monitored him with and apnea monitor. they did an apnea sleep test to see what could have caused him to stop breathing (results not back yet). they let us take him today but he is on an apnea monitor. i just wanted to know how many other parents there are that have babys on apnea monitors and how long they were or have been on them? i also wanted info there is out there about babys and sleeping apnea. thank you all

    • ANSWER:
      My son used to stop breathing or gasp for breath when he was only 3 days old (he wasn't premature or anything). I took him to the doctors and they said it sounded like he had floppy airway syndrome (laryngomalacia). An endoscope confirmed this. He was on an apnea monitor when he slept for the first 2 months of his life.

38. QUESTION:
    My baby was born early and in the hospital for 3 months?
    when he was there, they would put him to sleep on his belly. Hes home now and loves to sleep on his belly, he has a apnea monitor so I would know is something went wrong, I was just wondering what you would do in this situation. Please dont tell me to ask the dr. Im just looking for opinions. thanks.

    • ANSWER:
      my son was born with pphn at 36 wks and in the nicu for 2 months, came home on a feeding tube and an apnea monitor. but was breathing room air with no problems stats were good, we had him on the monitor all the time when he first came home, at nite it would keep goin off for any reason (non medical) we were sooo nervous, we ended up letting him sleep with us. after the third day he pulled out his feeding tube, (which wasnt needed per him) thank God he was taking all of his feedings at that point! he slept all kinds of funny tho, thay say now face up to wake up but he slept on his belly on his side how ever he was comfortable! b ut i made sure nothing was near him and he was breathing fine, he is 1 1/2 now and is runnin around getting into everything! and i still check his breathing when he sleeps, i have a newbie too and she came home after being in the nice for 5 days and she sleeps on her side or back, shes not a belly sleeper! as long as ur lil one is comfy and u keep a close eye all will be fine! Good Luck!!!!!!

39. QUESTION:
    what do you think about this research (related to sleep hours)?
    Women's Study Finds Longevity Means Getting Just Enough Sleep

    A new study, derived from novel sleep research conducted by University of California, San Diego researchers 14 years earlier, suggests that the secret to a long life may come with just enough sleep. Less than five hours a night is probably not enough; eight hours is probably too much.

    A team of scientists, headed by Daniel F. Kripke, MD, professor emeritus of psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine, revisited original research conducted between 1995 and 1999. In that earlier study, part of the Women’s Health Initiative, Kripke and colleagues had monitored 459 women living in San Diego (ranging in age from 50 to 81) to determine if sleep duration could be associated with mortality. Fourteen years later, they returned to see who was still alive and well.

    Of the original participants, 444 were located and evaluated. Eighty-six women had died. Previous studies, based upon questionnaires of people’s sleep habits, had posited that sleeping 6.5 to 7.5 hours per night was associated with best survival. Kripke and colleagues, whose 1990s research had used wrist activity monitors to record sleep durations, essentially confirmed those findings, but with a twist.

    “The surprise was that when sleep was measured objectively, the best survival was observed among women who slept 5 to 6.5 hours,” Kripke said. “Women who slept less than five hours a night or more than 6.5 hours were less likely to be alive at the 14-year follow-up.”

    The findings are published online in the journal Sleep Medicine.

    Kripke said the study should allay some people’s fears that they’re not getting enough sleep. “This means that women who sleep as little as five to six-and-a-half hours have nothing to worry about since that amount of sleep is evidently consistent with excellent survival. That is actually about the average measured sleep duration for San Diego women.”

    Researchers uncovered other interesting findings as well. For example, among older women, obstructive sleep apnea (pauses in breathing during sleep) did not predict increased mortality risk. “Although apneas may be associated with increased mortality risk among those under 60, it does not seem to carry a risk in the older age group, particularly for women,” Kripke said.

    Co-authors of the study include Robert D. Langer of the Jackson Hole Center for Preventive Medicine; Jeffrey A. Elliot and Katharine M. Rex of the UCSD Department of Psychiatry; and Melville R. Klauber of the UCSD Department of Family and Preventive Medicine.

    -----------------------------------

    i think that it might not be true for everyone... this was conducted only to the old women

    and younger people probably need more time to sleep than just 7 hours because

    they are more active and things they do require more energy, thus need more for body to get

    recovered.

    what do you think?

    • ANSWER:
      i think the research is good for older grown people. younger people like kids and teens need their sleep. You grow while you sleep and when your younger you need to grow obviously. kids should sleep 8 hours.

40. QUESTION:
    Baby monitor alarmed!!?
    My 7 week old baby girls baby monitor alarm just went off for the 3rd time, this is very scary, I ran like crazy to her room and yelled her name to startle her (in case she wasn't breathing), she was in a deep sleep on each of these occasions and difficult to wake. Is it possible she had stopped breathing? I called 000 last time this happened, they came and checked her over, she was ok and they suggested she may have sleep apnea? Does anyone have a baby with sleep apnea? What is it and what does it mean? Should I be worried?

    It's an Angelcare monitor which is meant to alarm if it detects no movement/breath ting for more than 20 seconds, I believe it to be in good working order.
    I have this monitor for peice of mind, it is making me worry but there is no way I will get rid of it, what is my baby is stopping breathing and the only reason she starts again is when I enter the room when the alarm alerts me?
    Thank you all for your answers, if it happens again I am going to 'check' if she is in fact not breathing before I pick her up, that way I can rule out a false alarm then I will get a referal to have her checked over.

    Charli - Yes she does get short of breath during a feed too. I'm glad to hear William is all good now and thank you for sharing your story with me, I don't feel so 'crazy' now, it is normal to worry in this circumstance, I don't think I'd be a very good mother if I didn't worry.

    • ANSWER:

41. QUESTION:
    My son absolutly refuses to sleep in his crib?
    My son REFUSES to sleep anywhere but his swing now. I have tried 16 TIMES TONIGHT to put him in his crib and he WILL NOT. He SCREAMS the second I put him down. I've tried putting him in there awake and trying to get him to sleep, I've put him in there sleepy and tried to get him to stay that way, I've put him in there asleep and the second he lays down, he screams. I dont know if its because he has GERD or what but he is on a home apnea monitor(which means no raising the crib matress up) because of some health problems, so I've GOT to get him to go to sleep in there because if he has an apnic spell while not on the monitor, well it would be a very bad thing. Im the only on here so its not like I could take turns just watching him in his swing and I am utterly exhausted because we have done this every night for 4 days and he's refused so I just put him in his swing, and watched him. I literally have slept maybe 3 hours in 4 days and I am at my wits end.
    Does anyone know how in the world to try to get him to sleep in his crib?
    no, he is only 2 months old. And a month of that was spent in the NICU(because of his apnea and bradycardia) so we are home on a home monitor but it only works in his cribs and he will NOT sleep there. I tried last night to let him cry it out(after 3 days with NO sleep) and he cried and cried and cried. He is not one to cry so much that he goes to sleep. (wasnt hungry/need to be changed,etc.)
    so crying it out didnt work either and I honestly dont know what to do.
    hey, sorry if I wasnt clear. GERD stands for gastrointestional reflux. Kind of like acid reflux in babies.
    Ok. Sorry again. He DOES have GERD(been tested) so I think this is why he refuses to be put flat on his back. And the apnea monitor is the reason why i cant raise the head of his crib to where he wouldnt be flat(like in his swing which is where he is wanting to sleep)

    • ANSWER:
      We did babywise http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Baby-Wise-Reference-Worldwide/dp/0971453209 to help our twins sleep as newborns in their cribs and it really worked for us.

      Hopefully he is on medicine for the acid reflux?

      I breastfed my twins one at a time but scheduled in 3 hours of sleep per 24 hours. I normally did a 2 hours feed cycle, but I did two sessions of a 3 hour sleep cycle at night, letting me get 3 hours of sleep in two 1.5 hour sessions.

      1.5 hours is the time needed for an adult to have a complete REM cycle, so you really need this amount or more at one time. You can get by with 2 REM cycles per 24 hours.

42. QUESTION:
    SP02 finger monitor tester giving false readings with Oximeter?
    Hi
    I just brought a finger Pulse Oximeter & Heart Rate Monitor, the Sp02 reading on me clicks around
    96-98% which is fine.

    But if I hold my breather for as long as possible say 1 min 30 sec's or breathe in and out of a plastic bag for couple of min's with no new air coming in the bag, the meter still reads 96-98%.

    Surly it should start to drop as the o2 in my blood will be severely reduced?

    Brought for sleep apnea but with the above tests cant see it being any good?

    Your thought, Cheers

    • ANSWER:
      spo2 means saturation of gas with hemoglobin in your blood nothing to do with you holding your breath. You still have good diffusion and circulation. IF you hold your breath you're just going to create more deadspace in your upper airway which the pul ox wont measure.. Now if u stop breathing involuntarily for a longer periods of time and your body is trying to breath then you will have a drop in your o2 sat but holding your breath as long as you can?? nothing to do with it because your brain knows you're okay. If the brain detects something abnormal involuntarily then that makes sense..
      Also pul ox wont detect which kind of gas you have in your hemoglobin. You could have a build up of co2 in your body and the pul ox will still measure 95+ %. Oxygen has a low affinity with hemoglobin so if you have too much co2 or even carbon monoxide it will bind w hemoglobin more and you're pul ox will still read 95+%

43. QUESTION:
    For users of the bebesounds angelcare monitor, please help!!! I am terrified!?
    We got this monitor off our registry at babys r us and it has been great. My son is now 4.5 months old. This morning for the first time ever the alarm went off while he was in his crib. We RAN to his room and he had either already started breathing again or the monitor malfunctioned and went off on it's own. He was still asleep. Well obviously it scared me to death! Just now during his nap, it did it again (just the warning beep though this time) I ran up again and he was asleep and breathing normally. He has never had an issue with breathing before. Do you think it could be malfunctioning or could my son be getting sleep apnea. If you have experienced this and it is breaking will the manufacturer replace it?

    • ANSWER:
      I actually do not use this monitor, but I read online reviews about how if the baby moves off of the sensor pad during sleep, that it will trigger the alarm. Your son is 4 months old, so I am sure he moves around in his crib some. That could be a possibility. Also, that is an electronic device. There is no electronic device out there that doesn't or hasn't malfunctioned at one time or another. I wouldn't worry too much unless this keeps happening on a regular basis. Call his pediatrician if you are REALLY concerned... I am a first time mom and I am constantly checking on my daughter... Sometimes not using monitors like that are better than using them... If that alarm goes off, it makes you think that something is wrong, when 9 times out of 10, everything is fine... Good Luck mama!

44. QUESTION:
    Please help me... give me some ideas on how I can get my son to sleep on his back?
    He is 6 months old, he was born at 24 weeks so hes really only 3 months old. He used to sleep on his back when he was swaddled, but then it got too hot. He had an apnea monitor so at the time I didnt think anything of it, he doesnt have the monitor anymore. I feel rather comfortable with it, but he had to stay the night in the hospital earlier this week, and the nurses made me feel like crap.
    actually he does sleep on his stomach.. this is why Im asking... he curls up in a little ball, he doesnt like to be all out there when hes on his back. He doesnt roll over yet either.
    Was it like a wedge? He has a physical therepist who suggested that I get something like that so he sleeps on his side.
    Hes working on lifting his head. Not quite there yet. I also have a celing fan in the room and I make sure hes not too hot.

    • ANSWER:
      My daughter didnt like sleeping on her back either when she was born, so we placed her on her side with a sleep positioner and that did the trick.

      Look this is the one we had : http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2341851

      Good Luck!

45. QUESTION:
    Anybody have experience with babies that have severe reflux that also stop breathing?
    I have a 4 month old son who's had severe reflux since he was born. He was born @ 36 wks by csection because I had severe high blood pressure. When he was born he had pneumonia and was hospitalized for 8 days. At 7 wks old was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia which they determined to be the cause of the reflux. At 8 wks he contracted RSV and was put on antibiotics and breathing treatments. He's also had problems breathing since he was born. They assured us that it only had to do with the reflux and not to worry. The last few weeks though it's gotten to the point that he fights sleep, his dr said because something has scared him in his sleep before. While he's sleeping he'll stop breathing momentarily. He has some episodes where he turns blue around the mouth. He's in the hospital now and on a heart & apnea monitor and during his sleep his heart rate drops very low. They are still saying that this has to do with reflux. Anybody experienced this before? Any insight?

    • ANSWER:
      This usually happens with preemies (I've had two, one of whom is also 4 months) they're called A&B spells or apnea and brady spells. Most of the time kids will grow out of it, sometimes, like in our case, our daughter was sent home on pure caffeine to help stimulate her heart and breathing. It's not uncommon for babies to "forget" the breathe. Consult your doctor about possibly send you home on the Apnea monitor, it'll help put your mind at ease and the alarms can be heard even in the soundest of sleep. I know you're scared and worried, but he will be okay. As for the reflux, we deal with it too and we've learned to hold her for about half an hour after she eats and to prop her up pretty far (about a 45% angle if not more) while she sleeps, this doesn't stop it, but it does help it. Hang in there, the doctors will find the best course of treatment for your son.

46. QUESTION:
    Is there an organization that can set up a payment plan for bariatric surgery? (for weightloss)?
    I am in desperate need of bariatric surgery for weightloss but my insurance asks that I begin seeing a doctor to monitor my weight for a whole year. However, I gained over 50 lbs. from last year and I am very afraid that I will gain more weight from here until my insurance will cover it. I am willing to pay for it myself, if there is any way of getting a payment plan of any kind. I am running out of options and meanwhile I am gaining more and more weight. Is there any type of organization that helps people in my situation who need to lose weight NOW! I am a 30 year old female and I weigh 350 lbs. I am suffering from high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythm, sleep apnea and asthma. Exercise is excrutiating for me and I have failed at dieting time and time again. HELP!

    • ANSWER:
      I totally hear you and sympathize.
      Many surgeons who do the bypass will also set up a payment plan for you. Have you seen a surgeon yet?
      The obesity help website is a great resource for WLS (weight loss surgery) and lists surgeons from all over with actual patient reviews, what insurance they take, etc. Not sure if it lists whether they finance, but it's easy enough to make a few phone calls.
      Also, if you have some money but not enough, consider Mexico. Supposedly it's less than ,000 down there. However, the drawbacks are that your surgeon is not near you or accessible if you have any problems or need to be re-admitted to the hospital.

47. QUESTION:
    baby breath-holding spells?
    My son is 11 months old, he has a slight case of sleep apnea, possible asthma, acid reflux, and respiratory disease ( from asthma and reflux). When he was 3 months hold he was hospitalized because he had quit breathing several times. he was on the apnea monitor. my concern is that here lately he has been having the breath holding spells, it worries me because of his previous breathing problems. Am i over worrying or should i be consulting with a dr sooner?? during his spells he will turn blue, eyes will roll back and close, he will wake look around for a min calmed then start screaming again. also, i blow in his face which doesnt always seem to work, sometimes makes it worse, any other suggestions? Have an appt with the dr next week.

    • ANSWER:
      Im not sure if hes awake or not as you say "eyes will roll back and close, he will wake look around" so it sounds like hes awake.If its happening in his sleep Id be going to the Dr sooner rather than later.
      If its when hes awake is it tantrum related? Many kids will suck in & hold when a tanty is brewing Ive known some to pass out or throw up on demand even from this young age.
      I really dont know what to offer other than trying to calm him, literally calmly tell him 'breath, breath' then try to regulate his breathing by mimicking calm controlled inhale, exhale.

      Really think Dr is the one to see on this one, Good Luck

48. QUESTION:
    Breath-holding spells?
    My son is 11 months old, he has a slight case of sleep apnea, possible asthma, acid reflux, and respiratory disease ( from asthma and reflux). When he was 3 months hold he was hospitalized because he had quit breathing several times. he was on the apnea monitor. my concern is that here lately he has been having the breath holding spells, it worries me because of his previous breathing problems. Am i over worrying or should i be consulting with a dr sooner?? during his spells he will turn blue, eyes will roll back and close, he will wake look around for a min calmed then start screaming again. also, i blow in his face which doesnt always seem to work, sometimes makes it worse, any other suggestions? Have an appt with the dr next week.

    • ANSWER:

49. QUESTION:
    What should we expect after my husband has his tonsils out
    He is 25 and will be having his tonsils out and his uvula trimmed and "about five minutes of work done in the nose." His tonsils are in the top 5 of biggest our ENT has ever seen. He's not sick from them but does have really bad sleep apnea.
    They told us he will have to be in the hospital overnight after the surgery to "monitor him." Is that normal? Why will he need to stay? what are they watching for?
    I want to know what to expect after for like recovery and all that.
    What will he feel like after he comes out of surgery? How long will it be before he will want something to eat/drink? What is good for him to have? How long does the pain last?

    • ANSWER:
      It is very very painful. I didn't eat for 10 or more days. I could only drink Ice cold water and even that was painful. Steroids and lortab elixer worked best for me. Tonsilectomy is usually a outpatient surgery but maybe since he is having his uvula trimmed, there is more of a risk for post op bleeding or swelling. They probably just want to keep a closer eye on him. As for how long does the pain last, it was bearable after 2 weeks and then a slight sore throat for like a few months.

50. QUESTION:
    Baby has Apnea. please help?
    my baby is 7 1/2 months old and he is still on an apnea monitor. he was 5 weeks premature and stayed in the nicu for 2 weeks due to bracycardia and apnea. we were sent home with the monitor once his brady's were gone. they advised us that he would grow out of it. well last night his monitor went off 2 times for a moment and then stopped. i checked him and he was breathing. my question is how long will he have to be on the monitor and is there anyone out there that has the same problem.

    just last month i was ready for them to come and get the machine but he had 2 episodes out of the blue, he had not had any in about 3 months now all of a sudden he is having 2-3 per month. they did tell me that his heart rate does not go down when he has these episodes.

    i dont know if it makes a difference but he just got over a double ear infection and has been sleeping with a humidifier in his room.

    any suggestions would be appreciated

    • ANSWER:
      My son was on an Apnea Monitor too. One night I was up all night, literally, with the thing going off everytime he would go into deep sleep.I also noticed that when the monitor went off my son was breathing and doing fine. I called his doctor and they checked him out and checked the settings on the monitor. They checked out the monitor and said that the setting needed to be adjusted, what was actually a normal heartrate and breathing rate for him was registering as abnormal to the monitor because the setting was set for a younger child and he had grown. Hope this helps.