baby on at home apnea monitor

[corrie anne]

I have a question. Many or few know me. I have quite a few preemies.(7) 32-36wks gestation. My almost 8 week old was placed on an apnea monitor when she was 4weeks old. We havent gotten the first report back from the first 2 weeks shes been on it. She only had maybe 10 episodes the first 2 weeks. Then she went 10 days with no episodes. Then yesterday she had 4 episodes in one day. I am so confused and no one will answer my question so i am hoping one of you can. In order to be diagnosed with apnea how many episodes a day would they have? My mother has sleep apnea and she stops breathing every 30sec at night so 4 a day doesnt seems like anything bad. Or are they not suppose to have any at all? She hasnt seen anyone for this. I just called telling them her symptoms and they ordered the machine. I went and picked it up and that was that. They come and take the machine every 2 weeks and replce it with another so they can read the last machine. So would you think she even has apnea or just spells?

 

[Stelly]

Well Im not home yet, but my son will be going home on an apnea monitor... Is your daughter on caffeine as well or just the monitor? With my son, he needs to go two weeks with no apnea episodes and no caffeine for support to be considered apnea free. It also depends on if when your little girl does have an episode, does she self recover or are you stimulating her to bring her out of it.

Im suprised they just put you on a monitor without evaluating her first... if it were me Id just schedule an appt and talk to your doc about her decrease in episodes and see what they think. Sorry Im bot more help! Hope she can be off monitor soon for you!

 

[corrie anne]

How many episodes does he have in a day? They told me she has to go 30-60 days with no episodes so going 10 days with one then having 4 seems like a huge set back. Shes not on anuthing. Whats the caffeine for and how does it work? She has a 2 month check up on the 15th. I will be asking many questions.

 

[Stelly]

They sometimes give preemies caffeine for respiratory and cardiac support- since their control center in the brain that moderates is still immature, it just helps keep breathing and heartrate a little higher to where they need to be.
My little guy currently is having about 6-10 apnea episodes a day, but he also gets substantial dips in his heartrate along with them.

 

[Stelly]

And i totally understand it veing disheartening to go for so many days then have an epuside and have to start the coubt all over she will get there though, the dr's tell me over and over it just takes time and increased maturity till they grow out of it. lol but in slightly impatient and hate that answer lol I want him home and better now

 

[corrie anne]

Well she has no desats when she is having an episode. Her heartrate has only gone off when shes auper fussing her heart goes too fast. But no low heart rate at all. So maybe with having hardly episodes and no low heartrate they will think to take her off? 4 is the most shes ever had in one day.