preemie with apena

winterfairy · August 2011

my baby was born 6 weeks premature and they have him in the nbicu. he keeps having apnea spills. i read that it was pretty common in preemies and that they can grow out of it when they come closer to term. he is now three weeks and three days old . last night he had a spill and his face and lips just turned dark purple. they have him on oxygen now and are giving him caffeine to stablize him.

my question is, did your baby suffer from apena? did they grow out of it?

Rachie_B · August 2011

Sophie was born at 28 weeks, 6 days. She had Brady and Apnea spells while in the NICU. She was put on Caffeine to help. She was able to come off the Caffeine at 33 weeks, but still had some small spells. She came home from the NICU at 35 weeks with an Apnea monitor. She had a few spells at home, but not very many. We were able to return the Apnea monitor shortly after her due date. I purchased a Halo Go! movement monitor that we use at night. It alarms if she stops breathing (it doesn't detect movement) after 18 seconds. It helps me sleep a little more soundly.

katie4253 · August 2011

Apnea of prematurity resolves at approximately 44 weeks gestation. So, if your LO is on a monitor, expect they could be on the monitor until AFTER their due date. I wish someone would have clarified this for me. I was so upset when I found out he had to be on it for another month when we went to his 1st follow-up appointment.

If your LO has reflux or other issues, then it could be much longer. I know urbanflowerpot's LO has been on a monitor for a long time because he is continuing to brady due to his reflux.

SushiNoMore · August 2011

katie4253:
Apnea of prematurity resolves at approximately 44 weeks gestation. So, if your LO is on a monitor, expect they could be on the monitor until AFTER their due date. I wish someone would have clarified this for me. I was so upset when I found out he had to be on it for another month when we went to his 1st follow-up appointment.
If your LO has reflux or other issues, then it could be much longer. I know urbanflowerpot's LO has been on a monitor for a long time because he is continuing to brady due to his reflux.

Like so many things on this board, I think there are multiple stories out there. My son was born at 26w3d, and he just ditched the apnea monitor last week - he's 7 months old (4 adjusted). The NICU here told us that the apnea stuff doesn't really resolve until the 4th month adjusted, which proved true for him.

Either way, your baby may come home on a monitor. At first, we had to use it 24 hours / day. Then, we only had to use it at night. Once you get to the point of only having to use it at night, it isn't nearly as much of a pain.

Congratulations!

urbanflowerpot · August 2011

Sushi and my LO's have similar stories, though DS was born at 30.6. He is now five months actual, 3 months adjusted and still on his monitor at night. He has B's mostly with some A's. He's growing out of it slowly. When we'd been home for two weeks we had to go back to NICU because he was having so many. It was during his second round that he was diagnosed with silent reflux. Have they tested your LO? He was on caffeine for four months.

I wished someone had told me that it could be a long time. That "growing out of it" didn't necessarily mean until around full term. That I should just get ready to sit back and wait it out. It would have stressed me out, but months later we handle an episode like pro's. My heart beats a little faster, but I know it's going to be all right.

I'm sorry you're going through it.

Kate621 · August 2011

katie4253:

Apnea of prematurity resolves at approximately 44 weeks gestation. So, if your LO is on a monitor, expect they could be on the monitor until AFTER their due date. I wish someone would have clarified this for me. I was so upset when I found out he had to be on it for another month when we went to his 1st follow-up appointment.

If your LO has reflux or other issues, then it could be much longer. I know urbanflowerpot's LO has been on a monitor for a long time because he is continuing to brady due to his reflux.

This is all solid advice. My ds had lots of apneas and was on a monitor until he was about 2 1/2 monthd adjusted/almost 6 actual.

mariposa_atl · August 2011

Thanks for this post. My daughter is getting discharged tomorrow (yay!!!), with a monitor. So it's helpful to hear everyone else's perspective.

katie4253 · August 2011

SushiNoMore:
katie4253:
Apnea of prematurity resolves at approximately 44 weeks gestation. So, if your LO is on a monitor, expect they could be on the monitor until AFTER their due date. I wish someone would have clarified this for me. I was so upset when I found out he had to be on it for another month when we went to his 1st follow-up appointment.
If your LO has reflux or other issues, then it could be much longer. I know urbanflowerpot's LO has been on a monitor for a long time because he is continuing to brady due to his reflux.
Like so many things on this board, I think there are multiple stories out there. My son was born at 26w3d, and he just ditched the apnea monitor last week - he's 7 months old (4 adjusted). The NICU here told us that the apnea stuff doesn't really resolve until the 4th month adjusted, which proved true for him.
Either way, your baby may come home on a monitor. At first, we had to use it 24 hours / day. Then, we only had to use it at night. Once you get to the point of only having to use it at night, it isn't nearly as much of a pain.
Congratulations!

True. The Neos just said "generally apnea of prematurity is resolved by 44 weeks". Of course they didn't tell me that until he had his due date, though. When we went at 44 weeks they were thinking they would have him on for 2 more weeks. But, after they reviewed the data they determined it wasn't necessary. That said, I know it is a lot longer for people.

mommyof4boys · August 2011

My youngest was a 35 week baby. He was on a monitor for 3 months. I don't know if it was a premiee thing of his genetic syndrome thing. He has a 16p11.2 duplication.

winterfairy · September 2011

Thank you all for the stories and advice. i spoke to the doctor today. he will be sent home with a monitor just in case. but for now he has not had any problems and i hope it says that way. it really makes me feel good to know that there are others that relate and that i really am not alone in this. being a new first time mom is scary, and to see my son like that really freaked me out. i am excited to get him home.

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