A baby with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) may stop breathing for a short time. This is called apnea. Although it sounds very frightening, apnea is not uncommon, and most babies start breathing again after gentle stimulation such as a top or a stroke. Other respiratory problems can arise from fluid inhaled into the lungs or a lack of surfactant – a substance produced in the lungs that keeps them from collapsing. If a baby’s do not have enough surfactant coating, they don’t expand as well as they should. This can cause the smaller air sacs to collapse, leading to hyaline membrane disease, a condition common in babies born before 31 weeks.
Babies suffering from any of these complications can be given oxygen either by way of a face mask or by a small tube inserted directly into the windpipe and attached to a ventilator.
