Cessation of an infant's normal breathing.

Apnea includes a temporary cessation of breathing, where breathing stops and begins again automatically after a few seconds, as well as a prolonged pause, where the baby must be resuscitated.

Apnea usually occurs during sleep and is primarily a disorder of premature infants. Babies born before 34 weeks of gestation do not have a fully developed central nervous system, and they often do not have adequate control of the breathing reflex. The more premature a baby is, the greater the likelihood of apnea. Episodes of apnea are also more problematic for smaller than for larger babies. A small baby stores a smaller amount of oxygen, so the effects of oxygen deprivation are more severe. Apnea usually appears within the first several days after the baby is born. Premature babies are usually kept in an incubator, where their breathing and...