Sleep apnea in infants

Infancy is a developmental period characterized by instability of the control of breathing. Apneas of short duration are common, mostly central, and more frequent during rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. Obstructive apneas are rare in healthy control infants. Triggering factors such as respiratory syncitial virus infection can increase the frequency and the duration of apneas. Upper airway problems related to bone malformations, soft tissue infiltration, and neurologic lesions are responsible for obstructive apneas, but also for episodes of partial airway obstruction or upper airway resistance syndrome. In certain infants, an apparent-life-threatening event has been related to upper airway anomalies. Congential central hypoventilation syndrome, a rare respiratory control disorder, may be presented by apneas. Polysomnography is the gold standard for the diagnosis of sleep-disordered-breathing in infants. Early diagnosis of abnormal breathing during sleep is of critical importance for the neurocognitive development in infants. (C) 1999 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.