Analysis

Can a child suffocate in his sleep? Why do children hold their breath in their sleep and what to do about it

Parents of a child, especially a baby, are often worried about his development and adaptation to the world around him. Some baby reactions are different from adults. It happens that sometimes a child holds his breath for several seconds while sleeping. An attentive mother will definitely notice it and may be very afraid for the child’s health. Should we be afraid? What are the reasons for this condition of the baby?

Reasons for holding your breath

Periodic breathing most often occurs in children under 6 months of age. For them this is considered the norm and does not require medical intervention. As much as 5–10% of the time a child spends sleeping may occur during such pauses.

Uneven breathing during sleep may have objective reasons:

Oxygen deficiency. Blueness of the limbs, skin around the mouth or on the body appears. Most often it occurs in children under 1 year of age. Symptoms: the child gasps for air and cannot take a deep breath.
Infectious diseases. Whistling, loud snoring, gurgling are added. Inflammation of the lungs is often accompanied by an increase in the rhythm, its acceleration.
An erratic rhythm combined with shortness of breath indicates that the child has elevated temperature bodies. Shortness of breath can also occur with heart problems.
False croup and bronchitis with obstruction. Symptoms: lost rhythm, noisy exhalation, cough.

Types of breath holding in children

There are two types of periodic breathing depending on the symptoms:

Cyanoid. Symptoms - sudden cessation of breathing, rapid spread of cyanosis to the limbs and face, color skin can range from pale blue to deep purple.
The second option often goes unnoticed by parents because it causes paleness. There is a sharp outflow of blood from the skin. The child may even lose consciousness in his sleep.

These symptoms may include seizures. Also increases muscle tone. Since periodic breathing occurs during sleep, the child cannot influence the situation.

Complications of frequent sleep apnea

This condition occurs most often in children under the age of 2–5 years. By the age of 4, in more than half of children, all signs disappear. In 17%, symptoms may occur occasionally even in adulthood.

Most dangerous condition, especially for newborns and infants, is apnea - a sudden stop in breathing during sleep. The disease manifests itself in blue skin (especially around the mouth and nose), disruption of the heart, oxygen starvation. Most often it affects premature babies, whose respiratory centers in the brain are not fully formed. Heredity also matters birth injuries, complications during pregnancy of the mother, infectious diseases.

Doctors define sleep apnea as episodes of sleep interruption for more than 10 seconds and with a frequency of at least 15 times per hour. OSA (obstructive airway syndrome) sleep apnea) occurs in approximately 2% of children. Most often occurs after 2 years of age. Reasons may be diabetes, pathologies of ENT organs, neuromuscular disorders, GERD, arterial hypertension. Apnea is especially dangerous for infants and newborns - the disease can lead to sudden death baby.

Diagnosis of breathing in babies

If you have frequent episodes of periodic breathing, you should definitely show your child to a pediatrician. He may be prescribed an examination - polysomnography. It is carried out in a hospital and can take several days (more precisely, nights). Before going to bed, high-precision sensors are installed on the child’s body, which will record physiological processes in the body throughout the night. The results show the number of breathing stops and their duration.

In newborns and infants, breathing can normally be intermittent and uneven, since not all systems and organs have had time to “ripen”. Before visiting a doctor, it is recommended to measure your breathing rate at home. In infants, the measurement process can be carried out visually by observing the rise chest within a minute. You can simply place your hand on your baby's chest and count the breaths.

Respiration rates vary:

newborn – 40–60 breaths per minute;
1–2 months – 35–47;
up to three years – 28–35;
4–9 years – 24–30;
10–12 years – 18–20.

Write down the readings on a piece of paper and show them to your local pediatrician. Additionally, examinations by an otolaryngologist, neurologist and other “narrow” specialists may be required if the cause of periodic breathing or apnea is pathology.

Apnea Treatment Methods

Most common cause apnea in children 2–7 years old is chronic tonsillitis or adenoiditis, so surgery to remove the tonsils may be recommended. If the cause is impaired nasal breathing (for example, allergic or chronic rhinitis), shown symptomatic treatment: rinsing the nasal passages, using vasoconstrictor drugs. An abnormal development of the nose or jaw can also lead to apnea. In this case it is used surgical correction or wearing special devices while sleeping.

SINAP therapy is indicated for newborns and infants for moderate or severe apnea. Its essence is to put on an oxygen mask for the child before going to bed, which is connected with a hose to an air supply apparatus. In this case, respiratory arrests in children during sleep are excluded.

It is important to know what parents should do if they find a child who is not breathing. Be sure to wake him up, just very carefully. If your skin starts to turn blue, call ambulance. If the child does not begin to breathe, it is necessary to carry out cardiopulmonary resuscitation before the ambulance arrives. Any pause in breathing for more than 10–15 seconds should be a reason to urgently go to the hospital.

If your child begins to choke frequently during sleep, and also regularly wakes up at night, you should pay attention to listed symptoms close attention. Such phenomena are quite dangerous for the lives of children.

The main reason The fact that a baby suffocates in his sleep is severe shortness of breath. This situation can arise for a number of reasons:

pneumonia;
false croup;
accumulation of mucus;
edema;
foreign body;
bronchial asthma.

In addition, shortness of breath may occur due to problems with normal level hemoglobin, poisoning, heart and vascular diseases.
Difficulty breathing and frequent situations where a child seems to be suffocating in his sleep can be symptoms of dangerous diseases that require individual, competent treatment.
If there is a problem with breathing, and Small child often begins to choke in his sleep, you should definitely visit a pediatrician.

Acute laryngitis

Breathing problems are often caused by laryngitis. During this condition, the child suffocates in his sleep from a dry cough attack. Also, laryngitis can be distinguished by the fact that the child coughs violently and intermittently during sleep, suffocates and cannot independently stop the cough attack. Symptoms of laryngitis also include a change in voice to a hoarse voice, partial or complete loss of it, sore throat when eating and swallowing, and lack of appetite. The disease can manifest itself against the background of influenza or ARVI.

If a small child coughs and chokes in his sleep, what should he do? Can be made easier pathological condition using a bath with hot water. Taking a bath will help moisten the air around you and help your baby cope with a dry cough. Moisture in the air helps expand the lumen respiratory tract baby. After providing first aid to your baby, you must call an ambulance.

False croup

Laryngitis in acute form is quite a common illness in babies aged from one month to three years of age. This is serious viral infection, similar to acute respiratory infections. But, such a virus is localized in the laryngeal region and causes severe swelling and inflammation. Can a small child suffocate in his sleep during such an attack? Yes, if the croup is quite neglected. Therefore, at the first signs of illness and difficulty breathing, you should contact an ENT specialist. Breathing at false croup extremely difficult to inhale. This is distinctive feature diseases. Also, the danger of croup lies in the fact that once you get it, the risk of a recurrence of the virus exists with each subsequent cold for up to eight years.

Pneumonia

Acute pneumonia is the second most common cause of suffocation during sleep. This can be explained by the strong effusion of specific fluid in lung tissue and subsequent lack of oxygen in the blood. A newborn baby suffocates heavily during sleep, wheezes, and shortness of breath appears. The best option will become urgent appeal to the doctor.

Pneumonia can be distinguished by the following signs:

distinct wheezing;
temperature over 38 degrees;
cough with attacks;
retraction of the intercostal space during inspiration;
frequent breathing.

Asthma

There is no need to guess whether a baby may suffocate during sleep due to breathing problems. You should definitely contact your pediatrician about possible asthma in the baby, especially if there is heredity of this disease. Asthma is characterized by a severe cough, especially during physical activity. Shortness of breath at night can turn into severe suffocation. Cardiac asthma can be distinguished by characteristic pale skin and moist rales. You should immediately call an ambulance to prevent pulmonary edema.

Foreign body

Severe choking in babies can be caused by foreign objects. The object can enter the respiratory tract and cause the baby to stop breathing. If an adult or the child himself managed to get rid of dangerous item, you still need to see a pediatrician. This condition is often fraught with laryngospasm, a subsequent reflex narrowing of the larynx after experiencing suffocation.

Runny nose

A runny nose becomes the simplest and most common cause of difficulty breathing during sleep. A child may choke in his sleep due to adenoids, colds, sinusitis or sinusitis. Discharge enters the nasopharynx from the nasal passages and causes severe cough Moreover, infants do not know how to breathe through their mouths and this condition is not uncommon for them. It is necessary to check the baby for diseases of the nasal passages or colds, check the temperature, and be sure to contact a pediatrician.

Apnea

Can a baby suffocate in his sleep? With apnea, this is a fairly real phenomenon. Apnea is a specific cessation of breathing during the night, which is very dangerous for children under two years of age. The condition is typical for newborns, because they respiratory system not yet fully formed.

The syndrome can be recognized by the following signs:

blueness of the nasolabial triangle;
disruption of the heart;
hypoxia.

Mostly premature babies are at risk, because they have respiratory center not always fully formed. The risk group is also shared by children who have experienced:

GERD;
birth injuries;
infectious diseases;
complications during pregnancy;
pathologies of ENT organs;
babies with a family history.

In preschoolers, apnea may occur due to adenoids or tonsillitis. Surgery is recommended surgical correction neoplasms and tonsil removal.

If the cause is a runny nose or allergic type, you need to undergo treatment with vasoconstrictor drops, as well as rinsing the nasal passages. When moderate and severe apnea is detected, newborn children are prescribed SYNAP therapy.

Quick help for breathing problems

If the baby is breathing heavily and does not feel well, you need to call an ambulance and provide first aid. necessary measures to alleviate the baby’s condition until the doctors arrive. This can be done using the following techniques:

calm the baby down with reading or cartoons;
conduct alkaline inhalation with saline or mineral water using a nebulizer.
Place the baby on his stomach to facilitate breathing;
enter vasoconstrictor drops into the nasal passages.

Also, as a preventive measure similar conditions, you should ventilate the sleeping room, avoid feather bedding, do not use perfume, hair or nail polish in front of your child, and do not smoke.

Non-pathological causes

In most cases, breathing disorders are not pathological and are caused by unbalanced temperature and humidity conditions in the sleeping room. Infants are especially sensitive to this climate. May cause coughing fits and difficulty breathing cigarette smoke or strong aromas.

Help with a foreign body

When hit foreign body It is worth providing immediate first aid to the baby. The problem can be detected by wide open eyes and mouth, bluishness of the face and in some cases loss of consciousness.

Before the ambulance arrives, you should use:

try to reach the object if it is visible;
put the baby on your forearm, lower his head below the body;
support the baby's chin with your hand;
tap on the back with light movements.

After the manipulations, you need to inspect back wall pharynx when coughing to visualize a foreign body and, when it appears, remove it.

Conclusion

Breathing problems should not be ignored. Constant suffocation with adenoids is fraught with delays in physical and mental development, drowsiness and regular fatigue.

Apnea syndrome is quite dangerous for the baby’s life, so without medical care not enough.

Since relatives may not always notice problems with the baby’s breathing during sleep, if you suspect an altered breathing rhythm, you should contact your pediatrician. The doctor will be able to determine the cause of the disease and prescribe appropriate treatment.

List of used literature:

Bishop DV, Anderson M, Reid C, Fox AM; Anderson; Reid; Fox (2011). Koenig, Thomas, ed. “Auditory development between 7 and 11 years: an event-related potential (ERP) study.” PLoS ONE
Hu Z, Chan RC, McAlonan GM; Chan; McAlonan (2010). “Maturation of social attribution skills in typically developing children: an investigation using the social attribution task.” Behavioral and Brain Functions
Stiles J, Jernigan TL; Jernigan (2010). “The basics of brain development.” Neuropsychology Review

A newborn baby is still so helpless that he cannot even turn his head in his sleep. To prevent him from choking if he burps, the mother must remember several important rules.

Larisa Fridrikhovna Ilievich, a pediatrician at the MEDEFERENT-P Center, spoke about the nighttime threat that awaits babies in the first 3 months of life:

“I don’t want to scare anyone, but there is a so-called “sudden death syndrome.” It is not only sudden, but seems to be causeless... This happens, among other things, because a child up to three months of age can choke at night when regurgitating or secreting mucus. It is released not only when you have a runny nose, it is common physiological process. Weak laryngeal muscles and deep dream do not allow the baby to adequately respond to danger. Previously, doctors advised placing the child on his side, but now the approach has changed, since in such a at a tender age this position throughout the night does not properly shape the spine. Therefore, it is better to act differently.

To prevent a child under 3 months from choking at night, you need to:

Be sure to wait for burping after feeding the baby before bedtime and at night. It is better to feed for 5 minutes, then hold in vertical position, wait for the burp, and then feed and put to bed. You don’t have to wait for another burp!
After laying the baby down, turn his head to the side - oddly enough, children at this age rarely change the position of their head in their sleep.
Sleep with the night light on.
Get up to your baby several times a night, and if he coughs, run immediately!
If a child coughs heavily during sleep and cannot breathe, turn him face down, holding him in a canopy, pat him on the back in the area of the shoulder blades. IN severe case you can try to call vomiting reflex- as everyone knows: put your finger in your mouth, press on the root of your tongue.

If coughing and choking do not go away, call an ambulance immediately!

Today, dear mothers, we will talk to you about a very insidious illness that affects many babies under one year old. This apnea syndrome, or sudden stop breathing in sleep. It is apnea in children that is one of the main causes of sudden child death (SIDS), from which apparently apparently healthy children sometimes die. This disease develops slowly and imperceptibly, so our task is to diagnose apnea in a timely manner and treat it.

First of all, premature, underdeveloped children and babies with congenital defects development. Let us remind you that apnea- This is the cessation of breathing due to narrowing or blocking of the airways. Therefore, most often it occurs in children with insufficient development of the central nervous system - nervous system premature baby Just "forgets" give the brain the command to breathe.

A weak child, suffocated, sometimes loses consciousness and, not having the strength to breathe air, dies from oxygen starvation of the brain. Apnea in newborns It is most often observed in children with an improperly developed lower jaw, an excessively thick tongue, and curved nasal septums: when the child sleeps, the improperly developed organs shift and block the respiratory passages and the child stops breathing. Finally, narrowing, partial or complete obstruction of the airways causes inflammatory diseases nasopharynx and larynx, as well as allergic rhinitis and swelling of the mucous membranes.

Certainly, common runny nose does not pose an undue risk in this situation. Although even short-term troubles caused clogged with mucus nose, cause a lot of unpleasant moments for the child, and can provoke spontaneous sleep apnea. What can we say about such chronic diseases, such as rhinitis, sinusitis, sinusitis and enlarged tonsils – ? By the way, it is the adenoids, and scientifically speaking, the adenoid vegetation, that in this sense represent the most serious danger: Studies have shown that against the background of this disease, apnea in children develops in 86 cases out of a hundred.

Useful video about adenoids:

Another pathology that provokes apnea in children is overweight, obesity. Adipose tissue develop quite quickly in the area of the mucous membranes of the nasal respiratory tract and larynx. The passages narrow, the walls of the larynx and the uvula become loose, lose their tone and close when lying down. The child begins to snore. He develops apnea syndrome.

Why is sleep apnea dangerous?

As we already said, the most dangerous consequence apnea in a child is a sudden death during sleep due to suffocation. In medicine there is a term SVSR– sudden child death syndrome. Doctors make this diagnosis when even during the autopsy they do not find visible reasons death outwardly healthy child. At present, the fact has already been clearly established that 90% of physically normal babies who died in their sleep from unknown causes before reaching the age of one year in their sleep became victims of apnea syndrome.

First aid for difficulty breathing, coughing without stopping - Dr. Komarosky (video):

But also others consequences of apnea in children that do not entail death, little better. Let's take a closer look at the damage caused to the body, health and development of the baby by stopping breathing during sleep. First of all, this:

Restless sleep, often interrupted by sudden, convulsive awakenings. After breathing stops during sleep, the brain receives a signal that the level of oxygen in the blood has dropped and oxygen starvation has occurred. A portion of adrenaline is released into the blood: the baby gets scared, snores sharply, wakes up and begins to breathe convulsively. Then he falls asleep again. Such sudden awakenings with advanced apnea in a child can be counted in up to a hundred cases per night. Moreover, most often in the morning the child usually does not remember that he woke up at night. Sleep disorder gradually takes over chronic form and turns into insomnia.
Constant night awakenings interfere with the child's rest, which is necessary for his full growth and development. That's why he doesn't get enough sleep, is capricious, daytime constantly wants to sleep, his motor and mental activity decreases. As a result, physical inactivity develops and the child begins to gain weight.
Children's snoring, the subsequent holding of breath, hypoxia and the release of adrenaline into the blood provoke sudden changes blood pressure. Therefore, children with sleep apnea often develop cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, arrhythmia.
Insufficient oxygen supply to the brain at night interferes with the full development of the baby. His ability to concentrate decreases, his ability to learn decreases, and his character deteriorates.
The inability to recover during sleep reduces protective forces body. Therefore, against the background of apnea, the child’s immunity decreases and the tendency to various diseases, especially of an infectious and cold nature. Which in turn leads to increased manifestations of apnea symptoms.
Apnea in newborns often leads to problems physical development– the child begins to lag behind his peers in all respects.

As you have already seen, apnea in a child- very serious problem. And our task, as parents, is to recognize the symptoms of apnea in time and begin treatment in a timely manner.

Types of apnea, main symptoms and methods of treating apnea syndrome

As you already understand, there are two types of apnea: symptomatic, that is, caused by allergies, colds and infectious diseases, and physiological - in this case the syndrome is caused birth defects or underdevelopment of the baby’s central nervous system. In both cases, the main symptoms are the same, only the treatment methods differ.

First characteristic feature sleep apnea– snoring in a child, snoring and intermittent breathing at night time. During the daytime, the child can breathe completely normally. This is precisely the insidiousness of the disease, that during the waking period it may not manifest itself in any way, and at the same time progress.

Therefore, you should listen to your baby’s breathing more often at night - in the first months of life you need to do this regularly. Children's snoring and convulsive sighs, holding their breath, especially during pre-dawn sleep, are a clear signal of danger.

Symptoms and first aid for apnea (video):

In addition to snoring in a child suffering from apnea, during night attacks you can notice bluish complexion– also the result of hypoxia, lack of oxygen. Further progression of the disease leads to short-term loss consciousness.

After and during respiratory arrest, the child may experience convulsive twitching and uncontrolled sudden movements. During sleep, the baby constantly bends over, trying to find comfortable position for breathing.

Well, about such symptoms as daytime drowsiness, irritability and moodiness, distracted attention and frequent illnesses due to weakened immunity, we already spoke at the beginning of our article. So if you notice all or some of these symptoms in your child, be sure to consult your pediatrician. You can even record your child’s sleep on video and show it to the doctor - this will make it easier for him to determine the degree of development of the disease. Depending on the severity of the case, he will prescribe either treatment at home or examination and treatment in a hospital.

Most often when physiological types Apnea is treated by surgery and/or CPAP therapy, that is, forced breathing through a mask and special apparatus oxygen mixtures during sleep. Of course, this is not very comfortable, but you will teach your baby to sleep on his side and not on his back, and this is the most best pose for sleep apnea. Further procedures and devices that fix the tongue or lower jaw, correcting developmental defects or, are prescribed by a Dentist, Orthodontist and Therapist. A neurologist and a rheumatologist will help the development of the baby’s central nervous system. By eliminating physiological reasons causes of respiratory arrest, you will save your child from apnea.

CPAP therapy - an example of implementation
For prevention and treatment of apnea syndrome at home First of all, you should wean your baby from sleeping on his back. To do this, place a special cushion or pillow under the baby’s back, or place a small ball in a special pocket sewn onto the pajamas in the area of the shoulder blades. Sleeping on your side or stomach reduces your risk of airway obstruction during sleep by 70 percent, keep that in mind.

Well, to get rid of symptomatic apnea, you should take all measures for the treatment and prevention of colds and allergic diseases, strengthening the child’s immunity. If your baby has already stopped breathing for more than 20 seconds, we also recommend installing a special breathing sensor in his crib that will beep and wake you up when the attack starts again.

What to do if a child stops breathing?

Apnea in a child - first aid for respiratory arrest
First of all, urgently try to wake up the child. Let one parent begin to massage the baby's chest, and the second one calls an ambulance. Remember, seconds matter here! If the massage does not help within a minute until the ambulance arrives, start giving the baby mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration. At the same time, slowly and calmly inhale air into his open mouth, and to exhale, lightly press on his tummy. Dear mothers, if your baby shows signs of apnea, massage techniques and artificial respiration It’s better to look for it on video and master it in advance. And in any case, do not delay your visit to the doctor! Agreed? Health and happiness to you and your baby! Let him grow up strong, cheerful and smart!

interpretation of sleep: a child is suffocating

If you saw a child in a dream, you need to pay attention to his condition. A cheerful and joyful child foretells you true friends, mutual love and happiness, but a child who is suffocating, or crying and sick children predicts sadness, mental suffering, pain. Perhaps this indicates future disappointment in a loved one. Also, strangulation speaks of constraint and limited freedom of action. If in the end everything goes well with the child, then in life you will be able to save the situation, and your financial condition will improve.

a child is choking according to the dream book

Children seen in a dream will bring many small problems that require your physical and mental strength. A child who is suffocating brings trouble and bad emotions. However, if the outcome is positive and the child is ultimately alive and well, then troubles will bypass you. A good and well-mannered girl will bring you good news, dirty and unkempt are bad.

A dreamed child tells you about new opportunities, and if it is still just a baby, then to surprises and surprises. If this child suffocates for no apparent reason, this promises poverty, misfortune and suffering. A still choking baby may indicate that you are planning to do charity work.

a child suffocates in his sleep, what is this for?

If infant, seen in a dream, is choking, then this is a sign of future worries and worries, fatigue from flattery and sycophancy from your environment. A sick baby always talks about troubles.

a child suffocates in his sleep, what is this for?

If a child, a boy or a girl, suffocates in a dream, it means that in life you are experiencing some serious troubles, possible deprivations. And children talk about your hidden sexual energy, taking care of the child and trying to prevent suffocation indicates that you take care of yourself and your partner.