Infant Apnea Program
St. Joseph Campus Infant Apnea/Pediatric Sleep Studies Program
If your baby has been diagnosed with apnea, the Wheaton Franciscan – St. Joseph Campus infant apnea program can help you prevent complications. We can:
- Place your baby on a monitor to detect pauses in breathing.
- Teach you what to do for your baby if he or she should stop breathing at home.
- Give medicine to improve your baby’s breathing.
Apnea is a pause in breathing that lasts 15 seconds or longer for newborn infants. It may also cause your baby’s heart to beat more slowly (bradycardia) or turn your baby’s skin pale or bluish (cyanotic). Most infants outgrow this problem by the time they are two- to four-months old.
Program components
Wheaton Franciscan – St. Joseph connects you with an infant apnea monitor
The apnea monitor detects apnea and/or bradycardia by monitoring your baby’s heart and breathing rates. It does not “cure” apnea. This monitor is very similar to the one your baby is on in the hospital. Your baby needs to be on the monitor while he or she is sleeping or unattended.
The monitor will sound an alarm if the heart or breathing rate falls below the limit identified by your doctor. Using skills that you have learned in our class, you will check the baby’s color and breathing and stimulate him or her to breathe, if necessary.
After your doctor “prescribes” a monitor for your baby, a case manager will review your insurance coverage and call a preferred equipment dealer for you. The dealer will arrange a delivery date before your baby leaves the hospital. The same company will also show you how to use your monitor.
Wheaton Franciscan – St. Joseph teaches you about how to use the monitors – and how to respond if your baby needs immediate attention.
St. Joseph offers classes for parents, other family members, and baby-sitters to learn infant CPR and more about infant apnea monitors.
The infant CPR/monitor classes will teach:
- What to do if your baby stops breathing
- What apnea and bradycardia are
- Why a monitor is needed
- How a monitor works
- When to you use your monitor
- How to prepare your home and family for the monitor
- How to respond to alarms
- When to stop using the monitor
Class information
Wheaton Franciscan – St. Joseph Campus offers infant CPR/monitor classes Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1:00 pm. Sessions are 1 ½ to 2 hours long and are held at our hospital, 3rd floor, Room 3329.
Sign up by calling (414) 447-2627. Our nurses will help you register and will advise you of any schedule changes.
For more information
The Wheaton Franciscan- St. Joseph Campus Infant Apnea Program staff is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Call us at (414) 447-2050.