7 month old girl frequent apnea

[kirsty756]

Hi
I really need your help, i will start at the begining, my daugher at 8 weeks had an ALTE where she needed full CPR to recusistate her she was NOT BREATHING.BLUE ,RIDGID HER EYE WERE OPEN AND FULLY DILATED AND IT TOOK ABOUT 1 MIN 30 SECS TO BREATH AND COME ROUND, SHE KEPT GOING IN AND OUT OF CONSIOUSNESS AND EVENTUALLY CRIED AFTER 5 MINS.We called emergancy services and were admited to hospital overnight, the doctor prescibed gavascon to combat reflux although she has never been a sick baby. 4 days later it happend agin and we were taken in for 2 weeks where she had an EEG,MRI ECG BLOODS AND WAS MONITORED AGAIN, The diagnosis was sleep apnea and ALTE. All of her test came back clear thankfully and we were allowed home. We had no other events untill just before she was 6 months we had two alerts to our home monitor, the firsty she woke by just rousing her rubbing her chest to wake her, the second we had to blow air into her nose to wake her and she was distant for about 5mins, Then at 7 months just this week we have had 3 small apneas which she was roused by our voice and touch. I am terrified by these alarming events and scared of SIDS as every website  seems to agree that SIDS and APNEA are linked is this a warning of sids and is it just a matter of time Can we always save her? She always has examined well and is a healthy normal baby apart from these events.If she has Apnea of infancy when will she grow out of it if at all? She was born full term with no complications she hasn't even had a cold. Is there any type of medication that can help prevent these events so little seems to be known about Apnea and the links to SIDS i am a very scared mum please help in any way you can, thank you in advance.
kind Regards,Kirsty.

[Suri123]

Hi Kirsty, how is your daughter doing? Very sorry to know about your daughter having sleep apnea at such a early age. What was the cause for sleep apnea she is having? Have you consulted a ENT doctor or a sleep specialist as i do not see any mention in your details? I feel she needs more evaluation for better medical management. You may get more information through this link - http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/childapnea.html
Relax and consult a sleep specialist and do update on the progress. Take care.

[lyn295]

Hi I just read your post and i can totally relate to some of the things you have said. My daughter has Obsrtuctvie Sleep Apnea and this was only diagnosed in december but i had been having trouble with her since she was a baby. She is just 3 years old now.

I have had doctors tell me that she will always wake up herself and there is no need for me to be sitting or lying beside her all the time....i am not sure any mother or father could take chance that they will always wake up on their own! I have to stir my daughter between 6 and 15 times a night when she stops breathing. Yes its just for seconds but i wouldnt let it go on for much longer!! Some times i have to blow in her face to make her take a gasp like you have described.Because she is obstructing her oxygen levels go low and she goes very pale and has a white circle round her mouth and nose and is blotchy.

We are waiting to go in for surgery to have her adeniods and tonsils out and they hope this will help a great deal. We have just been in for a sleep study which confirmed the apnea and showed her obstructing many time a night and levels of oxygen going low. The lowest recored was 78%. But when we were in the hospital the monitor was going off all night as the levels were constantly low. Have you been and had a detailed sleep study done. My daughter was very good even though she had wires and sticky pads all over her, including her face. We are being looked after by ENT doctors at the Sick Kids in Edinburgh, they are really good but i feel the wating time for surgery is very long. We are on the priority list and its can be up to 10 weeks! Thats the typical story for the NHS though!

Anyway i just wanted to let you know that i understand the worry you are going through. Its one of the toughest things i have had to deal with because i always worry that she wont take that big breath and start again. I hope that you get some help for your daughter.

Take Care
Lyn295

[Suri123]

Hi Kirsty, how are you and how is your daughter doing? Is she feeling better than before? Not heard any updates from you with regard to her progress. Have you consulted the ENT doctor and the sleep specialist for getting her evaluated thoroughly? Is she able to sleep normally now? One needs to know the cause of apnea first and then to plan the care accordingly? Try to put her to sleep on sides and not on supine position and do not give her a bulky meal. Hoping it will decrease in due time. Take care and share your thoughts.