Home / Services / Other Programs and Services / Programs and Services: A-D / Apnea / Your Baby's Apnea Eval

Your Baby's Apnea Evaluation

Your baby has been referred to the apnea program at Children’s for an evaluation. Here is what typically occurs.

Babies admitted with an Apnea/ALTE event

  • A physician will do a physical examination.
  • The physician will and obtain a detailed history of the apnea event.
  • Your baby will be put on a bedside monitor, and be closely observed by trained caregivers.

Based on the results, the following may occur.

  • A consultation with a physician specializing in apnea.
  • Overnight recordings (a pneumogram, or memory monitor unit) may be done to review your baby’s breathing and heart rate patterns.
  • Blood work or X-Rays may be done.

Based on the history and the test results, a physician will decide if your baby needs a home monitor (See Types of Apnea and Bringing Your Baby Home on a Monitor)

Full term and premature babies

(who are already in the hospital)

In some cases, babies may need to be put on apnea monitors and observed for apnea during their hospital stay.

  • Premature babies are typically monitored immediately following their birth and during much of or all of their hospitalization due to apnea of prematurity. (See Types of Apnea). Depending on the baby's gestation, the baby may have been monitored for some time already.
  • Full term babies may have experienced apnea of infancy (See Types of Apnea) or may have a diagnosis that puts the baby at risk for experiencing apnea. They will be monitored during their hospitalization.

During the baby’s time in the hospital, your baby will be tested and evaluated to determine whether the baby will need a home monitor when the baby is ready to go home. A physician will review the history and test results, and then decide if your baby needs a home monitor (See Bringing Your Baby Home on a Monitor).

Outpatient babies referred with an Apnea/ALTE diagnosis

Some babies that experience apnea (See Types of Apnea) do not require a hospital admission for evaluation. The evaluation may be done as an outpatient.

The decision about whether your baby can have an outpatient evaluation rather than a hospital admission is made on a case by case basis, depending on the severity of the apnea or the apnea event.

Please contact (651) 220-6267 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with questions.