Apnea of Prematurity (continued)

It can be very stressful to have a baby at home on an apnea monitor. Some parents find themselves watching the monitor, afraid even to take a shower or run to the mailbox. This usually becomes easier with time. If you're feeling this way, it may help to share your feelings with the NICU staff. They may be able to reassure you and even put you in touch with other parents of preemies who have gone through the same thing.

Your child's doctor will determine how long your baby wears the monitor, so be sure to talk to him or her if you have any questions or concerns.

Caring for Your Child

Apnea of prematurity usually resolves on its own with time. For most preemies, this means AOP stops around 44 weeks of postconceptional age. Postconceptional age is defined as the gestational age (how many weeks of pregnancy at the time of birth) plus the postnatal age (weeks of age since birth). In rare cases, AOP continues for a few weeks longer.

Healthy infants who have had AOP usually do not go on to have more health or developmental problems than other babies. The apnea of prematurity does not cause brain damage. If a healthy baby is apnea free for a week, he or she will probably never have apnea again.

Although sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) does occur more often in premature infants, no relationship between AOP and SIDS has ever been proven.

Aside from AOP, there may be other complications with your premature baby that may limit the time and interaction that you can have with your child. Nevertheless, you can bond with your baby in the NICU. It's a good idea to talk to the NICU staff about what type of interaction would be best for your baby, whether it's holding, feeding, caressing, or just speaking softly. The NICU staff is not only trained to care for premature babies, but also to reassure and support the parents of preemies.

Reviewed by: Michael L. Spear, MD
Date reviewed: May 2005