Grant: Operating Grant: ECRs in Human Development, Child and Youth Health

Extremely preterm infants, born before 29 weeks of pregnancy, often face breathing difficulties, also known as respiratory events, due to their underdeveloped lungs and respiratory systems. These respiratory events include pauses in breathing, shallow breaths, and irregular breathing patterns. These problems are most common right after birth but can continue for weeks, leading to extended hospital stays, higher medical costs, and potential long-term health concerns affecting the eyes, lungs, and brain. Currently, neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) use methods like measuring oxygen levels, heart rate, and electrical resistance in the chest to monitor for respiratory events. However, these methods have limitations. For instance, they cannot accurately measure airflow and do not distinguish between different types of respiratory events. As a result, some breathing problems might go unnoticed or be managed improperly. To address this, we have developed a new wireless acoustic sensor that uses advanced microphones and motion sensors to monitor airflow and chest movements. In initial tests with healthy preterm infants, this sensor proved reliable in detecting breathing patterns and airway obstructions, suggesting it could offer a more precise and non-invasive monitoring method. Our study aims to assess how well this new sensor performs compared to existing methods in detecting and distinguishing different types of respiratory events in a high-risk group of extremely preterm infants. We will track respiratory patterns in preterm infants at various stages between 32 and 44 weeks of age. By comparing the new sensor's performance with current standards and gold-standard methods, we hope to improve the management of these respiratory events and reduce the related health risks. This research could eventually lead to the development of automated tools for better monitoring and treatment of preterm infants' breathing problems.