Your Childrens Health

Individuals off all ages have small pauses in their breathing pattern. These small pauses are called apnea. Apnea in typically normal; however, there are some children or infants who are an increased risk of developing health related issues associated with Apnea. The medical world separates apnea into three different categories. They claim that there are obstructive apnea, central apnea, and mixed apnea forms.

Central apnea occurs when the brain is unable to control the breathing process. Central apnea is most commonly found in infants that were born prematurely. When a premature infant is born it is likely that all of their important body parts, including the brain are not yet fully developed.

Obstructive apnea is the most common form of apnea. Obstructive apnea occurs when there is something that is obstructing the airway. This form of apnea most commonly occurs at night because a child’s throat tend to relax at this time which allows tissue organs to block the airway.

Mixed apnea is a combination of both obstructive and central apnea. All forms of apnea can generally be managed or treated. Some children experience slight apnea problems and continue on just fine while others may experience difficultly breathing. Parents who notice their children having a difficult time sleeping or breathing are encouraged to contact their physician right away or take their child to the hospital.

As previously mentioned many cases of apnea will not be life threatening; however, parents should keep an eye on the sleeping habits of their children. Common symptoms of apnea include color changes in the skin and the lips, gasping for air, restless sleep, and snoring.

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 23rd, 2006 at 12:58 pm and is filed under Sleep. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.