Everyone experiences pauses in breathing once in a while. This does not only happen to adults but to babies as well. This breathing pattern is called apnea. Although this is completely normal for some, it may also be related to certain health conditions that should be a cause for concern especially when it happens to your baby. You may need to look for a baby sleep apnea monitor.

The Different Types of Apneas

The word apnea has its origin from a Greek word which means "without wind". It is the medical term used to describe the occasional cessation of breathing of a person. Even though it is normal, it may also be a symptom of something more serious that is health related.

Basically there are three types of apnea: obstructive, central and mixed. Obstructive apnea is most common in babies and children. It is caused by obstructions in the airway such as adenoids and enlarged tonsils. This is quite dangerous especially for babies since it usually happens during sleep time. And as babies, they obviously can't articulate whether they are already experiencing symptoms of the condition. Symptoms of this type of apnea include snoring, labored breathing, gasping for air, and changes in color. But the main sign of obstructive apnea in babies is restlessness.

Another type of apnea is central apnea. This is usually caused by defect in the part of the brain the controls breathing. In babies, this could be a congenital defect. Central apnea is very rare in adults but quite common in babies especially those who were born prematurely. Unlike obstructive apnea, this can happen at any time of the day.

The third type of apnea is called mixed apnea. This condition is the combination of obstructive apnea and central apnea. This is particularly very common in infants. It could occur any time, whether awake or asleep.

Clearly if you are in this position, it's complicated and serious enough for you to get some specialized medical help.

What To Do If You Think Your Baby Has Apnea

When your baby is born, he or she is automatically evaluated for any problems in health like defects in breathing. But this is just an initial evaluation which can change over the first few months. The first step is to have your baby checked up by your doctor. If apnea is detected, the doctor can suggest different ways to help you monitor your baby, one of which is the use of baby sleep apnea monitor.

What to Look for In A one or two Way Baby Monitor for Sleep Apnea

There are a lot of different baby sleep apnea monitors each with different features. In choosing a baby sleep apnea monitor, there are a few key features that the device must have to ensure the proper monitoring of your baby.

a) Heart Beat Monitor

This is a must since no apnea monitor is 100% accurate in detecting cessation of breathing. So this will serve as a backup in case the apnea monitor fails to detect apnea because it will also manifest itself in the heart rate of the baby.

b) Remote alarm.

Even if you are not in the same room with the baby, a remote alarm will notify you if anything goes wrong. It must also have a power loss alarm. This is used when the devices are low in power.

c) Last but not the least, I would suggest that the device be equipped with an AC power for recharging and powering the device.