Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Sleep Apnea? So scared.

5 replies

Scottishnewmum · 06/03/2022 12:21

I have a six week old baby (my first) who has recently started to wake up in the night coughing and literally choking. She can't breathe for a few seconds so I lift her up, pat her on the back and then she is okay. But it scares the hell out of me. She already seemed to me to have reflux issues though the doctor didn't seem that interested and said it was normal.

She has had this choking thing for two days. It happened again last night so I took her to the children's hospital. They only seemed interested in the cough, checking her for whooping cough etc. Nobody seemed to listen or care about the choking part.

They sent us home, but I am still worried as it keeps happening. To be fair, she now has diarrhoea so maybe she is sick (I've to go back of she has more than five episodes in 24 hours), but it doesn't seem like that is related to the choking.

Could she have sleep apnea? Has anyone here had a child with that and if so what were the symptoms?

I'm not sure if I am overreacting but even if I'm not, I don't know how to get them to take me seriously. They are the experts but this is so frightening. I'm worried she will choke and die.

OP posts:
danni0509 · 06/03/2022 12:28

(Disclaimer - I’m not a dr)

Ds used to do that thing when he was a baby and it was silent acid reflux. He used to make all sorts of weird noises, gasps and grunts. He was on gaviscon from 3 weeks old.

Is your dd on gaviscon or anything?

My ds also did have sleep apnea! but when he was older, age 2. and it was cured by having his tonsils / adenoids out. He used to snore badly and gasp for breath all night long with that, he had a sleep study and his sats were in the 80’s.

Deffo take your daughter back if your concerned though x

Scottishnewmum · 06/03/2022 16:52

@danni0509 How did you get the Gaviscon? I feel like nobody is taking me seriously!

OP posts:
cormorantes · 06/03/2022 17:02

Similar to pp my ds has tonsils out at 2 which resolved his sleep apoena ). I recommend filming her when she stops breathing and show the doctor.

danni0509 · 06/03/2022 17:53

@Scottishnewmum we got it from the gp, with no issues! This was 8 years ago now.

Go back to the drs again and if they fob you off with reflux tell them you want some infant gaviscon to treat it x

Eileen101 · 06/03/2022 18:18

My eldest developed sleep apnea around 12 months. Or maybe always had it, he was such a poor sleeper until around 15 months.
Anyway, definitely video it and show it to a doctor. We were referred straight to ENT, as soon as we actually saw the consultant (delayed for a long time due to lockdown 1), he ordered a sleep study. About a week after the sleep study was done, we had a call to book in for a tonsillectomy, and he had his adenoids removed at the same time.
Completely cured the issue.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page