FAQ Sleep Apnea » apnea monitor

My 6 month old is on an Apnea Monitor, and has learned how to unplug it at night. Any suggestions?

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:04:28 +0000

My 6 month old son wears an Apnea monitor, only when he is sleeping during the night. (He wears it because of the sudden loss of our first son, and because he also has breath holding spells.) During the night, he has started to grab the wires from the electrodes and pull them out. Of course, this sets of the Loose-Lead alarm. The alarms on the Apnea Monitor are VERY loud, and the only way to make them stop is to fix it. My husband and i are having to get up almost every hour to fix him doing this, and loosing much sleep. Since he is old enough to roll around now, he can find a way to get a hold of the wires; it seems to be a game to him. My husband jokingly said to buy a baby straight-jacket, so he cant grab the wires….lol (i dont think they make those). What can i do? He has to stay on the monitor until age 1!

(Okay, for those of you who dont know, and Apnea Monitor monitors his heart and breath rate, and if he stops breathing or his hear rate changes, an alarm goes off.)

Technorati Tags: apnea, learned, monitor, month, Night, suggestions, unplug

Sleep Apnea – Symptoms and Treatment

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:19:24 +0000

Sleep Apnea is a debilitating and oftentimes life-threatening disorder characterized by breathing cessation during slumber. Apnea literally means to stop breathing. In sleep apnea sufferers, breathing can cease for just a few seconds or last for minutes. The first signs of sleep apnea are usually noticed by family members and include snoring and gagging.
Sleep apnea sufferers are usually tired all day, complain of headaches, and wake with sore throats. It reduces the amount of quality sleep the body gets. Quality sleep is needed for the body and brain to recoup from the days activities. The most dangerous symptom is respiration cessation. This symptom can lead to death.
There are two major types of non-surgical treatments for the symptoms of sleep apnea: oral appliances and CPAP equipment. Each have drawbacks and both require monitoring by a physician.
Which one works best is based on personal preference, severity and cause of the sleep apnea, and treatment compliance.
The traditional method involves the use of a CPAP machine. This machine continuously blows air into the oral cavity effectively splinting open the airway. The machine airflow pressure can be titred (set) to the individual patients needs. They are available as home based units or portable units. Some come with humidifiers and some do not. Heated humidifiers are recommended to prevent the drying out of the nasal and oral passages.
CPAP machines require power. A backup power supply should be available. For standard 120 volt AC power, self-contained battery powered inverters are available that can help with this problem. Be sure to keep the battery charged so it’s ready when needed.
A headgear and mask is used in conjunction with the CPAP machine and is tailored to each individual. Many patients do well with just a nose mask or nasal pillows while others need a full face mask due to mouth breathing.
Hoses may need to be rigged above the sleeper to prevent tangling and drainage of condensation into the users face. Usually condensation problems can be managed by experimenting with which heat setting works best in your bedroom environment.
Remember hot + cold = wet. If the heat setting is too high and the bedroom is cool or visa versa, condensation will build up.
The drawbacks associated with the CPAP include the patient’s inability to adjust to sleeping with a mask and getting tangled in the hose with restless sleep.
For most people with severe sleep apnea these are non-issues. The body is craving sleep so fiercely that the patient will fall asleep and stay asleep.
Another drawback is if a patient is a mouth breather, the nose mask is not effective. They may need a chin strap to keep the mouth shut or a full face mask that covers the nose and mouth. Some people find the care of headgear daunting.
Headgear and hoses should be washed in hot soapy water daily to prevent inspiration of germs, possibly causing respiratory illnesses.
For patients that have a hard time accepting the CPAP, there are oral sleep apnea appliances available. These are most effective for mild to moderate sleep apnea and people within normal weight ranges.
Oral appliances attach to the teeth and realign the jaw to hold the tongue forward, capture the tongue to prevent it from falling back into the throat, or increases the airspace.
Most oral appliances need to be fitted and maintained by a dentist. Oral appliances are very portable and do not require electricity to use.
Oral appliances are easily misplaced or lost. Take care to store it in the same place each morning. Use a room humidifier to prevent airway passages from drying.
It may be difficult to find a dentist well versed in sleep apnea. A physician will be able to give an appropriate referral.
Occasionally oral appliances may make the sleep apnea worse. Close monitoring by self or a family member is paramount.
Whichever external treatment a patient chooses needs to be complied with in order to get the full benefits. Sleep apnea is very dangerous, but is also extremely treatable. The sleep apnea sufferer should work closely with a doctor and find the option that is best for his/her needs and lifestyle.

For all the important facts about sleep apnea symptoms and treatment, including information about possible surgical procedures and natural cures, visit the new website http://www.SleepApneaOSA.com

Technorati Tags: apnea, sleep, symptoms, Treatment

2 month old on sleep apnea monitor–need help?

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:06:58 +0000

My 2 month old son is on a sleep apnea monitor day and night. He’s been on it ever since he was 2 weeks old. It has only alarmed for apnea (not breathing) once this whole time and all the other times it alarms is for low heartbeat. So anyway, the average times it would alarm would be maybe 2 times in the day and once or twice at night for low heartbeat and that would be it. Mostly the daytime alarms would be when he would be eating and forget to breath. All of a sudden for the past 3 nights his low heartbeat alarm goes off so much at night I never even fall asleep. It’s not a mishap with the machine as I have checked and rechecked it many times. But I just think it’s weird that it alarms so much at night and none during the day even though he is also sleeping much of the day still. I’m wondering if anything I may be doing is causing it, such as dressing him too warm or something. If anyone else has had experience with monitors I would appreciate the advice. I’m probably taking him to the doctor Monday by the way.
Much thanks, ladies!
Does anyone know how much longer a baby has to stay on a monitor if they’ve only had apnea once the whole time?
Okay, we got the machine checked today and found out whoever set it to begin with set it too high–on 100 instead of 75 or 80, and that’s why it kept going off. It was way too sensitive. I hope this helps anyone elso who may have this problem. Don’t let them talk you into thinking you’re not using the machine right–insist that they check it!

Technorati Tags: apnea, help, monitorneed, month, sleep

If you wear a monitor for sleep apnea and hold your breath will it record as not breathing?

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:38:33 +0000

Just curious, little one likes to play. So I wondered if he holds his breath on purpose during night will the monitor record as not breathing.
The test will be done at home on a portable monitor.

Technorati Tags: apnea, breath, breathing, hold, monitor, record, sleep, wear

Treating Sleep Apnea – Alternatives to CPAP therapy

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:01:00 +0000

The alternatives to CPAP therapy are a life saver for many sleep apnea patients.

Not all persons with sleep apnea can tolerate a CPAP treatment. There many reasons why they give up their treatment, depending on each patient.

Here are several reasons :

*feeling of suffocation

*dry mouth, which is the most common side effect

*dryness of nose or nasal congestion

*mask discomfort

*the noise of the breathing machine

*the feeling of claustrophobia

Fortunately, there are solutions for these problems, and some of them are really effective. There is no issue that cannot be worked out, especially with the advanced technology of today.

The most common alternative for CPAP treatment is a dental device or an oral appliance. This device is used to relieve the upper airway obstruction and snoring by modifying the position of the mandible, tongue, and other oral structures.

An oral appliance also prevents the tongue from blocking the airway passages.

Before choosing this type of therapy is very important to consult your doctor. He knows that not all the appliances can help your breathing disorder.

However, there are some disadvantages here, and the most common complaint is discomfort and salivation. The statistics show that this alternative therapy is more successful in patients with non-severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Bilevel positive airway pressure or BPAP is another alternative to CPAP machine, and they are more efficient. BPAP machines provides two pressure levels, one during inhalation and a lower one during exhalation. The pressure drop during exhalation is designed to increase comfort for patients who have trouble exhaling against an continuous incoming pressure, such as CPAP.

Behavioral therapy is an important part of your life when you are dealing with sleep apnea, and in mild cases this type of therapy may be all that is needed.

*you should avoid the use of alcohol, tobacco, and sleeping pills, which make the airway more likely to collapse during sleep.

*if you have problems with obesity, you can benefit from losing weight. Even a 10 percent weight loss can reduce the number of apneic events for most patients.

*sleeping in a side position is often helpful. Try using a pillow or other device that may help you with this.

*Playing at didgeridoo – this is the newest alternative to cpap treatment on the market, and is very well accepted by patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. This might be due to training of the muscles of the upper airways, which control airway dilation and wall stiffening.

Regular playing of a didgeridoo reduces daytime sleepiness and snoring in people with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and also improves the sleep quality of partners.

One final piece of advice: A new field of medicine offers fertile ground for scams. Shameless people are quick to exploit people’s hopes and fears. Claims of miracle cures for sleep apnea are already germinating on internet. So, before trying an alternative treatment for CPAP, speak with your doctor about this option and listen to his opinion.

Thiery Remy
Your independent guide to Sleep Apnea Treatments and the author of www.Sleep-Apnea-Guide.com

If your are dealing with Sleep Apnea, quickly download his Free www.sleep-apnea-newsletter.

Technorati Tags: apnea, cpap, sleep, Therapy;, Treating

Sleep Apnea and Oximeter

admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:46:07 +0000

Apnea, or ‘Apnoea’, is a technical term for suspension of breathing. An apnea event is defined as a breath cessation for a minimum of 10 minutes, with a neurological arousal and/or a blood oxygen desaturation of three to four or greater. Sleep apnea is a breath disorder during sleep which may cause serious consequences such as heart failure.

There are three types of sleep apnea are central sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea and complex sleep apnea (the combination of the two types). Central sleep apnea is caused by the imbalance of brain respiratory control center, while obstructive sleep apnea is caused by the obstruction of airway by decreased muscle tone or increased soft tissue around the airway (e.g. obesity or aging). Obstructive sleep apnea makes up about 84% of sleep apnea cases; the complex sleep apnea makes up about 15% and the central sleep apnea makes up 0.4%. [1]

The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea commonly include loud snoring, restless sleep, and sleepiness during the daytime. The treatment of this type of sleep apnea is usually the use of breathing treatments, such as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). Other habits that contribute to symptoms of sleep apnea is smoking, drinking alcohol, or losing large amounts of weight.

Due to the drop of oxygen level and increase of carbon dioxide level during sleep, hypoxia and hypercapnia are usually the results of central sleep apnea. Consequently, hypoxia and hypercapnia have effects on human body and could result in more serious health issues, angina, arrhythmias, heart attacks or at worst sudden death. [2]

Diagnostic tests of sleep apnea include home oximetry or polysomnograph readings in a sleep clinic.Oximeters that measures blood oxygen levels are a necessary device to measure normal stats in a person’s body while their asleep. According to the results of a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine.

“The practical purpose of diagnostic assessment in most cases of obstructive sleep apnea is to predict which patients have symptoms that will improve on treatment. Portable monitors record primarily oxygen saturation, can be used at home without supervision, and are cheaper [than polysomnography].”

OctiveTech oximeters offer a flexible and affordable way for sleep apnea sufferers and their doctors to monitor their blood saturation during sleep. We especially recommend the handhelds that alarm at a certain low blood oxygen concentration.

References:
[1] Mayo Clinic Discovers New Type Of Sleep Apnea, ScienceDaily, 2006
[2] Sleep apnea, Wikipedia

Technorati Tags: apnea, oximeter, sleep

Demo of a new apnea monitor with a one_month old baby.MPG

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:49:26 +0000

Technorati Tags: apnea, baby.MPG, demo, monitor, one_month

Sleep Tests and Sleep Apnea

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:07:32 +0000

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition that stops your breathing while you are sleeping. If you are suffering from sleep apnea, this means that you stop breathing when you are sleeping. One can notice that sleep apnea is taking place, as the chest will sink in when the person sleeping is not breathing. Loud snoring and other snore like noises are heard at this time as well. Sleep apnea is something, a condition that your doctor can help you cope with or find the correct surgery to take place so you can sleep well, and so your body will get the rest that it needs.
The test, polysomnography, is going to allow the doctor to learn about you while you are sleeping. It is going to require that you go to sleep, relax, and it will record how your body functions while you are sleeping. Snoring, gasps, and shortness of breath will all be recorded so the doctor can then determine what else may be going on with your body.
This is a simple test, one that is not going to hurt. You will have sensors placed on your body, and on your head that are going to monitor; the body while you sleep. The monitoring is going to involve your brain electrical activity, the eye and jay movements of the muscles, leg muscle movements that may be happening, and the airflow of your body. The respiratory efforts of your chest and the abdominal muscles will be monitored, and the oxygen in your body is going to be monitored at the same time.
The gathering of information will take place over a few hours, sometimes in a lab setting where you are sleeping, sometimes in the hospital setting where the diagnostic tests can easily take place. The information that is gathered during this diagnostic sleep apnea test is going to then be fed into a computer and analyzed. The technicians and the doctor will the compare your information to others
Electrodes are placed on the body, there are six of them, and them one is placed on the head to measure brain activity at the same time. As you are sleeping, the monitoring systems are going to make remarks about what occurs, what happens, and how long the intervals are between the snoring, or the portions of sleep where you actually stop breathing. This is going to help determine the severity of your sleep apnea, and the obstructiveness of your nasal passage or in your throat.

Author Darren Mallory

Technorati Tags: apnea, sleep, tests

help my newborn has an apnea monitor?

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:23:08 +0000

My daughter is 10 days old and on an apnea monitor. She has only been home for three days, she was born at 36 wks and spent the first week in a children’s hospital because she inhaled fluid during delivery. There were no problems caused by this she was just on an antibiotic for seven days then sent home. She is on the monitor because in 2002 I had a little boy that passed away in his sleep when he was two months old. I am sure the monitor is the best thing for her and it does easy my mind. However, the monitor has gone off several times since we have been home. She seems to be fine every time it goes off. I called her nurse and he said it sometimes does just go off. We have only been home for three days and I’d say it went off about 20 times since we brought her home. It drives me crazy, my heart stops every time I hear it go off. Her father and I are so afraid to leave her side. I’m afraid to be home alone with her because I just panic when I hear it. Her father is calmer than I am and just goes over to her and picks her up and makes sure she is ok. I always want to run to the phone and call someone. I am so afraid she will be unresponsive every time I hear it. Does anyone else have a newborn on an apnea monitor that goes off all the time? And how do you deal with it? How long do they usually keep newborns on the monitors? I know its whats best for her and I’d be going even crazier if she didnt have it. I am just so afraid of her and the monitor right now and she has only had it for three days I know we still have a long way to go.

My daughter (3rd child) has had her apnea monitor for 20 months now. We are just about to give it up. What brand is yours? We use the Babysense ll. The monitor we use does go off from time to time, and we do the following checklist:

1. Check all connections. Sometimes if the cords aren’t plugged into the alarm it will go off continuously because the alarm box is not recieving any electronic signals.

2. Check baby has not rolled off off sensor pads. (Obviously in your case this is not an issue)

3. Check there are the required amount of sensor pads being used at a time. For a newborn you use one. For an older baby who moves around (rolls/crawls etc) use two. That way if they roll off of one it won’t go off.

4. Check batteries. Make sure you use alkaline batteries.

5. Check the sensor pad is positioned on a flat surface.

I’m not sure in your case, but my alarm also goes off if the breathing rate drops below a certain rate, and also obviously if the alarm box recieves no movement signals

I have noticed if I have a fan on in the room the monitor picks that up as movement, so when I pick the baby OUT of her cot the alarm WONT sound. Check that aswell if you have a fan or airconditioner in your room. To test this, turn your fan/airconditioner on without the baby in the cot. If the alarm does not sound it is picking up on the air flow as ‘movement’.

The fact your baby is so young may mean she has an errattic breathing pattern. If that is the case it should get better over time. In the meantime, to be thorough, document times and dates of the alarms, and also how your baby reacted to you picking her up etc and present to your peadiatrician.Thats what I had to do. They will not give a sleep study here in Australia without that. My 20mth old has a sleep condition (found through using the monitor) that was only jusyt diagnosed. I am so glad I brought the alarm.. who knows.,.

Good luck, if you have any questions feel free to ask. The first thing I did before disturbing my baby’s sleep and turning off the alarm was to check the colour of her lips and nose. If they look normal she is more than likely OK

Pressure Sensors for Medical Applications

admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:08:14 +0000

Freescales pressure sensors monitor a patients condition by providing key diagnostics in a broad range of medical applications.

Duration : 0:3:34

Technorati Tags: blood pressure sensor, cpap, diagnostics, IUPC, medical, MEMS, pressure sensors, respiratory, sleep apnea