To breathe or not to breathe.

Apneic spells, often observed in premature infants, are most frequent in those of lowest gestational age. They are much less common in infants born at term and are rarely noted among normal infants in the months after birth. Occasionally, however, apnea occurs in otherwise healthy infants several months old, who may be capable of resuscitation, and such apneic episodes are considered "near-miss" sudden infant death. Since some of these infants subsequently become victims of sudden and unexplained infant death, they are of extraordinary interest as candidates for study to detect infants at risk of sudden death. It should be noted, . . .