Sleep Development and Apnea in Newborns

One of the major problems in neonatal care, is the presence of sleep apnea in premature infants. This is due, that respiratory disturbances placed at high-risk and in immediate danger to newborn infants because alteration in adaptation to extra-uterine environment. Apnea during sleep can be the principal symptom of maturational dysfunction of the control of the central nervous system (CNS) on the infant respiratory patterns, or can be present secondarily to other brain or non-brain pathologies. Frequency of apnea is inversely related to gestational age at birth. In this chapter, we revisited the process of sleep development from fetal to neonatal age focused in the presentation of respiratory alterations, such as the apnea. Afterward, we reviewed the clinical features of apnea for its clinical diagnosis and therapeutics.