Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
Can hypoxia cause developmental delays?
My 36 week old son developed severe apnoea when he was 2.5 weeks old (treated at 4 weeks in hospital). His apnoeas started with tachy (209) before crashing into brady (56) and hypoxia (O2 52) (lowest readings on monitors), he would go floppy, turn red/purple with the lips going blue. episodes lasted from 20-40 seconds. He also had funny episodes whilst awake where he would make strange noises and chest movements would stop. But he would be awake.
He is now 17 months old and showing signs of delay in regards to speech and fine motor skills. I am very worried this event wasn't apnoea of prematurity but something neurological, seems very rashed but the only tests done were cap gas, chest xray and FBP, CRP, U&E's.
My son had a dusky episode from hypoglyceamia on day 2.
since the apnoa, he has been constantly drooling (cut 1st T @ 10 m), poor feeding (chokes A LOT), poor coordination + more.
Is it possible a neuro event has occured from the apnoea? or an event caused the apnea.
