2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21
Respiration is controlled by a special nerve center located in the brain. When the level of carbon dioxide in the blood exceeds the allowable norm, the brain sends a command to the muscles, the chest contracts, and inhalation occurs.
Danger of holding your breath (apnea)
Why does a child hold his breath? In an infant, all body functions are poorly developed. His breathing has no clear rhythm. The child holds his breath in his sleep and cannot control it.
Short-term cessation of breathing is not dangerous for the he alth of the child, but if it lasts longer than 15-20 seconds and is repeated several times within an hour, the brain stops receiving oxygen, the pulse and heart rate decrease, loss of consciousness occurs. In medical practice, there have been cases of infants dying in their sleep, but there is no exact data on the causes. If a child under one year old breathes, holding the air for 10-12 seconds, there is no reason for concern and control.
Types of apnea
This is not considered a disease. It is a symptom of various pathologies,diseases and conditions. There are several types of breath holding in a child:
- Central. There are no contractions of the muscles of the chest and abdomen. There are no impulses from the brain. The departments responsible for breathing do not work clearly.
- Obstructive. The child is trying to breathe. But the air in the lungs does not pass due to problems with the respiratory tract.
- Mixed. There is a pathology of the central nervous system and problems with air intake as a result of various inflammatory processes.
Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Sleep may show some signs of breathing problems:
- Apnea is often accompanied by snoring, the child's mouth is open.
- Restless sleep, frequent change of position.
- Twitching limbs.
- Irhythmic movements of the pectoral muscles and abdomen. The child holds his breath as he exhales.
- Breathing is uneven, frequent and intermittent.
Children need proper sleep. If they systematically lack sleep, this causes irritability, drowsiness during the day, frequent mood swings, aggression, loss of appetite (weight loss), apathy.
In the future, there may be a delay in mental and mental development, attention and memory are reduced.
Unfavorable factors
There are many adverse factors affecting the he alth of the child:
- Parents don't have enough experience to raise a child.
- Unfavorable living conditions for the family (cold room, mold, dampness,dust, pets).
- Difficult pregnancy, the presence of chronic diseases in the mother.
- Difficult labor (caesarean, labor induction).
- Prematurity, underweight, hypoxia, intrauterine growth retardation.
- Large fruit.
- Smoking, drinking alcohol and drugs.
- Multiple pregnancy.
- Permanent overheating of the baby after birth.
- Using soft mattresses, duvets and pillows, or vice versa a heavy blanket.
- The baby should have a bed where he can get comfortable and sleep well.
- Smoking indoors.
- Vitamin and nutrient deficiencies (rickets).
Advice to parents
About 15-17% of children suffer from sleep apnea. If symptoms are ignored, breathing problems can have a negative impact on physical and mental he alth. Identifying the problem on your own is not easy.
It is important to observe the baby during night or daytime sleep. How often does the child breathe holding his breath (how many times per hour), for how long.
All observations can be recorded in a notebook and handed over to a specialist (pediatrician). Only a qualified doctor can help in solving the problem.
Actions when breathing stops:
- If the baby stops breathing and begins to turn blue, they take him in his arms, shake him slightly, run his hand along the spine from the bottom up.
- Then they rub their ears, arms and legs.
- Lightly massage the chest andsplashing cool water in the face.
- After these procedures, the child should begin to breathe on his own.
It is important to note how long the breathing stopped. If the measures taken have not yielded results, you need to start the artificial respiration procedure and call an ambulance. Severe cases are rare.
Illnesses that cause breathing problems
He alth problems causing breathing problems:
- Bacterial and viral infections (flu, SARS).
- Anemia (lack of red blood cells).
- Heart disease.
- CNS pathologies.
- Epileptic seizures.
- Overweight.
- Allergy causing swelling.
- Respiratory tract diseases (asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, pleurisy).
- ENT diseases (adenoids, sinusitis).
- Deviated septum.
Preventive measures
Prepare a comfortable bed: an elastic mattress of medium hardness, a light blanket. Instead of a pillow (up to a year), a diaper folded several times is placed.
The baby is changed into light, loose-fitting sleepwear. It should not hinder movement and overheat the body.
The room in which the baby is located is constantly ventilated. Comfortable temperature for sleep is 18-21 ºС. To avoid the occurrence of allergic reactions, carpets with long pile, soft toys, flowers, fluffy blankets, and upholstered furniture are not used in the room setting. All these items accumulatedust and bacteria. Cleaning is carried out regularly (dry and wet).
Breastfeeding improves immunity and teaches the baby to hold his breath, breathe through the nose and train the respiratory muscles. Walking in the fresh air in any weather hardens the body.
When baby and parents sleep together, the risk of holding their breath is reduced. The baby's body is able to synchronize some parameters with the functions of the mother's body. So when you are next to your parents during sleep, the child's heart rate and breathing stabilize.
Troubleshooting
A special device that controls the frequency of breaths and the duration of the pause will help monitor the state of the child in a dream, if the rate of stopping breathing is exceeded, the device will give a signal.
If the baby's he alth is of concern, contact the pediatrician. It is important to describe the situation in detail in order to identify the cause of apnea, and begin treatment of diseases that cause frequent respiratory arrest. If the cause is not eliminated, the patient's condition will remain unchanged. There will be severe complications and pathologies in development.
If a child holds his breath, Komarovsky E. O., a pediatrician, advises going to the hospital for a complete examination. There are many reasons for temporary cessation of breathing.
In severe cases, children wear special masks to make breathing easier. Difficult cases are rare. Prescribe medications. In the presence of ENT diseases, it may be necessary to remove the adenoids,nasal wash, etc.
If allergies are the cause, antihistamines are prescribed to reduce airway swelling. It is important to completely treat colds so that complications do not arise (bronchitis, pulmonary edema, pneumonia, pleurisy). Vitamins are prescribed to increase immunity.
Slow or too rapid breathing with pauses up to 10 seconds. considered a physiological norm. Treatment of diseases that cause apnea is considered an important condition for stopping cases of respiratory arrest. Preventive measures and adherence to sleep rules help to eliminate their main causes. As the body grows, respiratory functions normalize on their own, if there are no serious pathologies.
Recommended:
A child rolls over on his stomach in his sleep: causes, developmental norms, advice from doctors and parents
Can a baby sleep on his stomach? Short answer: no. A baby sleeping on his stomach breathes in less air. This increases the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In 2015, about 1,600 children died from this cause! It is known that children should always be put to sleep on their back, but if they lie on their tummy, then depending on age and capabilities, you can either return it back face up or leave it in this position
The child does not want to communicate with children: causes, symptoms, character types, psychological comfort, consultations and advice from a child psychologist
All caring and loving parents will worry about the isolation of their baby. And not in vain. The fact that a child does not want to communicate with children can be a sign of a serious problem that will affect the formation of his personality and character in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the reasons that force the baby to reject communication with peers
Redness behind the ear in a child: description of symptoms, causes, possible diseases, consultation of doctors and ways to solve the problem
In a child, redness behind the ear can occur at any age, but this happens especially often with babies under one year old. There are many reasons for this condition - from banal oversight and insufficient care to extremely serious diseases. Today we will try to understand the most common factors that provoke the appearance of redness behind the ear in a child, and also find out which doctor you need to go to with this problem
Kitten has bad breath: causes, possible diseases and advice from veterinarians
The basis of a cat's diet is raw meat and fish. Contrary to popular belief, milk, and even more so soup, categorically does not suit her. Of course, with such a diet, it is difficult to expect something more refined. But putrid notes, with hints of acetone or ammonia, should alert. And if the kitten's breath makes you recoil, then you should immediately contact your veterinarian
Family through the eyes of a child: a method of education, the ability for a child to express his feelings through the world of drawings and writings, psychological nuances and advice from child psychologists
Parents always want their children to be happy. But sometimes they try too hard to bring up the ideal. Children are taken to different sections, to circles, classes. The kids do not have time to walk and relax. In the eternal race for knowledge and success, parents forget to simply love their child and listen to his opinion. And if you look at the family through the eyes of a child, what happens?
