Respiratory Distress Syndrome develops in premature infants because of the immaturity of their lungs. Babies born early have not had sufficient time to produce enough surfactant (a film-like substance which spreads over the lungs' air sacs, allowing them to stay open) for efficient breathing. A child born lacking enough surfactant takes his first breath normally. However, when he exhales, the alveoli collapse and all of the air escapes the lungs; each time the baby breathes, he must completely refill his lungs; each time he exhales, the lungs collapse again. Because the infant works so hard to breathe, he becomes fatigued quickly. A baby with RDS will often breathe rapidly, making grunting noises with each breath. A bluish tint may also appear around his lips and nail beds, evidence of oxygen deprivation.
Although RDS has no cure, there are several ways to treat the condition. Once it becomes evident that an infant will be born prematurely, the mother can be given the synthetic steroid betamethasone, which helps mature the baby's lungs. Once the child is born, he can be put on a respirator, which will breathe for him. As his condition improves, he can be removed from the respirator, and given supplemental oxygen. The level of oxygen the baby receives can be gradually lessened until he is able to breathe on his own. Babies can also be given replacement surfactant. Treating RDS costs the United States more than $100 million a year; many physicians feel that prevention and improved treatment would reduce patient suffering and improve their quality of life.
As I mentioned before, victims of RDS often struggle with other respiratory infections later in life. There are also complications that can result from exposure to high levels of oxygen, such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) or chronic lung disease (CLD). Again, as was stated above, children usually grow out of their respiratory problems.
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