Although the monitors are designed to go off if your child stops breathing, many monitors have frequent false alarms. Frequent unnecessary trips to the hospital are the last thing you want if you’re already sleep deprived. If you feel a monitor would help to put your mind at ease, talk to your doctor about how best to use it, and about how to resuscitate your child if the alarm does go off.
If your paediatrician has prescribed an apnoea monitor for your child, definitely use it, but make sure your doctor has given you plenty of information about what to do in case of an alarm. Also ensure you have a contact name and telephone number to call in an emergency.