Candace is a four-week-old patient brought into the office today by their foster parents after they became worried about Candace’s breathing over the past several days. Candace was born prematurely to a mother with substance abuse disorder at 30 weeks of gestation. Candace spent a short stay in the hospital due to lung immaturity but was later discharged to the care of Child Protective Services and is now in the custody of foster parents.
The foster parents state that they feel as if Candace's heart has been beating very fast and that Candace does not breathe in a “normal” manner. When questioned further, they believe Candace has periods where they stop breathing for five to ten seconds at a time. They also feel that Candace has not gained enough weight, despite eating normally. They are worried that this may be related to the biological mother’s drug use or since Candace was born prematurely.