Premature infants have trouble breathing. Why?
Why?
Most of the problems lie with the lack of a surface chemical in the lungs. The alveoli of the lungs, those little balloon-like endings, should have tremendous surface tension. Imagine what it would be like to try to inflate thousands, if not millions of little balloons at once.
So why don’t normal babies have that problem? The answer is they have a chemical that reduces surface tension and makes it easier to inflate the alveoli. That chemical is akin to soap which lowers surface tension. Premature babies often lack that chemical.
The disease is called Respiratory Distress Syndrome
http://www.faqs.org/abstracts/Health/Surfactant-treatment-for-premature-babies-a-review-of-clinical-trials.html
Their lungs are not fully developed.
References :
Their lungs haven’t had the chance to fully develop, they carry on developing right up until birth
References :
I’m a mum
Most of the problems lie with the lack of a surface chemical in the lungs. The alveoli of the lungs, those little balloon-like endings, should have tremendous surface tension. Imagine what it would be like to try to inflate thousands, if not millions of little balloons at once.
So why don’t normal babies have that problem? The answer is they have a chemical that reduces surface tension and makes it easier to inflate the alveoli. That chemical is akin to soap which lowers surface tension. Premature babies often lack that chemical.
The disease is called Respiratory Distress Syndrome
http://www.faqs.org/abstracts/Health/Surfactant-treatment-for-premature-babies-a-review-of-clinical-trials.html
References :
Emeritus Biology Professor