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Conditions and Services

When it comes to babies and breathing, Children’s Minnesota Apnea Program covers it all. Through both inpatient and outpatient care, we diagnose breathing conditions, coordinate further testing if needed and outline a plan of care tailored to each child. And, we do this using sophisticated pulmonary technology that is specially created for tiny lungs and fragile little ones.

The apnea team treats infants and babies with a wide range of breathing problems, including but not limited to:

  • Apnea of prematurity (AOP), a pause in breathing lasting longer than 20 seconds or a shorter pause in breathing along with a drop in heart rate, color change, and/or limpness in infants born prematurely (less than 37 weeks).
  • Apnea of infancy (AOI), a pause in breathing that lasts longer than 20 seconds or a shorter pause in breathing along with a drop in heart rate, color change and/or limpness in infants born after 37 weeks or more of gestation.
  • Brief Resolved Unexplained Event (BRUE), a combination of apnea or a pause in breathing, color change (usually blue or gray-pale but occasionally red), limpness or unresponsiveness.
  • Gastroesophageal reflux (GER), the backward flow of stomach contents into the esophagus that can interfere with breathing.
  • Airway conditions predisposing to apnea
  • Seizure disorders
  • Congenital chromosomal disorders that affect breathing

Services we provide:

To help babies breathe better, our services include, but are not limited to:

  • Apnea monitor education for families, so parents and caregivers can learn how to use an apnea monitor to detect changes in their child’s breathing when they are at home.
  • Gastroesophageal reflux education for families, so that parents and caregivers can learn about gastroesophageal reflux and ways to support their child at home.
  • Coordination of diagnostic testing, so that families feel supported as their child’s breathing concerns are diagnosed.
  • Discharge planning, with parent-friendly instructions for care, so that your baby’s homecoming runs smoothly.
  • On-call nurse, round-the-clock, for families who need support at any hour of the day or night.

As an organization dedicated to family-centered care, we offer many child and family services and resources, such as interpretive services.

Meet our Apnea team

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