does your toddler breathe like this?

The other day, for some reason I can't remember, both the twins ended up sleeping in bed with us. I had a hard time sleeping, and was just listening to them breathe. I put my hand on Zoe's chest & for a moment was very concerned when I didn't feel her breathe. Then I did, very slowly.....after a few seconds it would speed up to what Johnny's sounded like. Then it just followed that same pattern. I thought, weird.....so I put my hand on Johnny's chest & realized he was doing the same thing. I thought, if they're both doing it then it must be normal. Then I read this excerpt from an article today:


You may notice that the rhythm of your baby's breathing changes as he sleeps. He might breathe more rapidly for a while, then more slowly, and then pause for up to 15 seconds before resuming his normal breathing pattern.

Try not to worry. Doctors call this "periodic breathing," and it's common in babies until about 6 months of age. (If your baby's older than 6 months and still breathes this way, talk with his doctor about it.)



Which was exactly what they were doing the other night.....but they're almost 21 mos old. So now I'm wondering, do I need to call the doctor?????

 

It can't hurt to call...it could be the early stages of sleep apnea, which can be a problem throughout life...
Good luck!! (oh, they also say snoring is an early sign...)
Nicole

 

I don't know, but I might just make a call and if you have a wbv coming up, you can check then. Or if you are truly concerned, call and make an appt.!! You know that Mother's intuition is a reliable thing!!!

 

Are they not breathing at all during those 15 seconds? Or is it just softer?

Ben will breathe heavy for several breathes, and then quitely for a few, then back and forth and all over the place. His breathing is not usually rhythmic

But, we were on vacation this summer in high altitude where Ben did experience periodic breathing while sleeping. He would take two deep breaths and then not breathe at all for 10 seconds. No intake of oxygen, just stillness. It was freaky. We had to come down the mountain, and it corrected itself.

If you have concerns about possible sleep apnea, make an appt with your pediatrician. Most likely they will order a sleep study and you will have to go overnight to a local hospital. They will attach the kids to monitors and watch their breathing for an extended period of time. We were all set to do this at the hospital, but ended up cancelling as it corrected itself.

 

Even before they were born, I was worried about sleep apnea. In my husband's family, no joke, EVERYONE has it. He has it himself pretty bad, but refuses to get seen for it.

And I don't remember how long I counted, but it was probably around 10 seconds & no, there were no breaths at all.

 

Yep, I would call the pedi and get the ball rolling with a sleep study. It may be nothing to be concerned about. BUT, the peace of mind will be worth it. Do they get sick often (once adenoids and tonsils are removed, it can correct itself)?

 

Last year, they were sick with colds for about 6 months straight. But I think that was b/c they have a cousin very close in age who has older kids in school, so they were just passing that cold back & forth.

This year they've actually been pretty good about colds. Only one so far, I think.