Patent Publication Number: US-2017347917-A1

Title: Newborn respiration monitoring system and method

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to the field of newborn care, and more specifically to systems and methods for providing respiratory care to newborn infants immediately upon birth. 
     At the time of birth, infants need immediate assessment and care, including assessment of heart and respiratory function. Infant patients can experience relatively rapid changes in condition, especially immediately after birth. Depending on the infant&#39;s condition, various therapies may be provided, including resuscitation or other respiratory care. 
     SUMMARY 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     In one embodiment, a newborn respiration monitoring system includes a flow sensor that measures a gas flow and a CO 2  sensor that measures a CO 2  within the breathing circuit for an infant. The system further includes a resuscitation module executable on a processor of a computing system to receive the flow measurement and the CO 2  measurement and determine respiratory information for the infant. A digital display is communicatively connected to the computing system and displays the respiratory information. 
     One embodiment of a method of monitoring newborn infant respiration includes measuring a gas flow with a flow sensor in a breathing circuit for the infant, communicating the flow measurement to a computing system, measuring a CO 2  with a CO 2  sensor in a breathing circuit for the infant, and communicating the CO 2  measurement to the computing system. The method further includes determining respiratory information for the infant with the computing system based on at least the flow measurement and the CO 2  measurement, and displaying the respiratory information for the infant on a digital display communicatively connected to the computing system. 
     Various other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure is described with reference to the following Figures. 
         FIG. 1  depicts one embodiment of a newborn respiration monitoring system incorporated in a mobile newborn care bed. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic depicting one embodiment of a newborn respiration monitoring system. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic depicting one embodiment of a computing system for a newborn respiration monitoring system. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic depicting another embodiment of a newborn respiration monitoring system. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart depicting one embodiment of a method of monitoring newborn infant respiration. 
         FIG. 6  depicts another embodiment of a method of monitoring newborn infant respiration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In light of their experimentation and research in the relevant field, the present inventors have recognized that clinicians providing care to infants at birth are often seeking more guidance for providing safe, non-invasive respiratory and resuscitative care to infants, such as to reduce barotrauma and volutrauma, and to reduce or delay use of invasive ventilation as much as possible in the delivery room. Current systems for providing newborn resuscitation do not enable sufficient respiratory monitoring necessary to provide consistent and optimal resuscitative care to a newborn, including failing to provide barometric, volumetric, and inspiratory/expiratory gas content measurements. In light of these problems and needs in the relevant field recognized by the inventors, they developed the disclosed newborn respiration monitoring system and method, including sensor systems for monitoring non-invasive respiratory therapy providing positive pressure ventilation and/or continuous positive airway pressure. 
     Further, according to long-standing care standards, an infant&#39;s umbilical cord is cut immediately upon delivery and the infant was placed on a patient care surface spaced away from the mother to assess and provide any needed therapy, such as respiratory support. In such instances, babies were removed from the delivery location and placed on a bassinet or infant bed, often containing a radiant warmer. Currently available infant beds and radiant warmers are configured to be positioned in a corner of a delivery room so as not to crowd the space next to the mother. Moreover, most infant care beds and radiant warmers are one, integrated, bulky device, where the bassinette is built into the warmer. Resuscitation equipment and/or monitoring equipment, if any, is either integrated into the warming device or positioned near the infant bed/radiant warmer away from the delivery location. 
     However, care standards are trending towards maintaining the infant at the birthing site to the extent possible in order to allow delayed cord clamping and delayed cutting for several minutes so that the blood in the placenta is transferred to the baby. Accordingly, through their experimentation and research in the relevant field, the present inventors have recognized such delated cord clamping and other modern care standards for newborn infants immediately after birth have made current radiant warmer and resuscitation platform technology challenging. The inventors have recognized that a device is needed to provide diagnosis and therapy to a newborn infant immediately next to the mother and at the site of birth so that such therapy can be administered before and/or during the cord clamping. Further, the inventors have recognized that devices and systems are needed that provide monitoring and resuscitation care for infants easily and with minimal attachment of devices to the baby. Further, the inventors have recognized that devices and systems are needed that provide immediate and accessible display of multiple relevant respiration-related parameters to clinicians providing care, and also seamless transmission and storage and of such data to the patient&#39;s healthcare records. 
     In view of their recognition of problems and needs in the relevant field, the inventors developed the disclosed newborn respiration monitoring system and method. The newborn respiration monitoring system is mobile and able to be located at a delivery location of an infant to enable a clinician to provide respiration monitoring and/or resuscitative care to an infant immediately upon birth at the birthing location, including before and during cord clamp. 
       FIG. 1  depicts one embodiment of a newborn respiration monitoring system  1 , which in the depicted embodiment is incorporated into a bassinette of a mobile newborn bed.  FIGS. 2 and 3  provide schematic diagrams of various embodiments of the newborn respiration monitoring system  1 , which may be a relatively small and portable system separate and apart from an infant bed and able to be transported to a delivery location of an infant. The newborn respiration monitoring system  1  includes one or more sensors to measure parameters within a breathing circuit  25  for the infant  2 . Examples of the one or more sensors include an O 2  sensor  27 , a CO 2  sensor  28 , a flow sensor  29 , a pressure sensor  30 , a temperature sensor  31 , and a humidity sensor  32 . Each of the sensors measures a value within the breathing circuit  25  and communicates the value to a computing system  100 . The computing system  100  includes a resuscitation module  72  executable on one or more processors  106  to determine respiratory information  96  for the infant  2 . The computing system  100  may control a digital display  46  to display some or all of the respiratory information  96 , such as to provide information to a clinician caring for the infant  2  regarding the infant&#39;s respiratory health and/or regarding the respiratory intervention being provided to the infant  2  via the breathing circuit  25 . Additionally, the computing system  100  may communicate the respiratory information to a host network  76  and/or to an intermediary, such as hub device  68 . 
     The newborn respiration monitoring system  1  may be a stand-alone system or set of devices that transportable to a location where respiratory intervention is being provided to an infant  2  with a respiratory device  40 . Alternatively, the newborn respiration monitoring system  1  may be incorporated into another device for providing infant care, such as into a respirator device, a fetal monitor, or another device for monitoring the physiological well being of a newborn infant  2 .  FIG. 1  exemplifies an embodiment where the newborn respiration monitoring system  1  is incorporated into a bassinette  12  of a mobile newborn bed  10 . The newborn bed  10  is preferably portable and small enough and agile enough to be transported to and located at the delivery location of the infant so that respiratory care and respiration monitoring can be provided to the infant  2  at the delivery location where the infant is delivered by the mother. 
     The mobile newborn bed  10  has a bassinet  12  and a frame  53 . The bassinet contains a mattress  18  on which the infant  2  is placed. The mattress  18  is preferably a flat or slightly concave cushioned surface, but can be any flat or curved surface capable of receiving the infant  2 . The frame  52  is underneath the bassinet  12  and supports the bassinet  12 . The frame includes a base frame portion  52   a  connecting to one or more wheels  54  that allow the mobile newborn bed  10  to be easily moved. The frame  52  also includes a vertical frame portion  52   b  that elevates and attaches to the bassinet  12 . In various embodiments, the vertical frame portion  52   b  may be adjustable to adjust the height of the bassinet  12 . The base frame portion  52   a  may be configured to support various elements comprising part of the mobile newborn bed  10 , such as one or more batteries  48  and/or gas supply tanks  44 . 
     In the depicted embodiment, the bassinet  12  includes a bottom portion  12   a  supporting the mattress  18 , and also includes a head portion  12   b  adjacent to one side of the mattress  18  and a foot portion  12   c  adjacent to another side of the mattress  18 . In the depicted embodiment, the head portion  12   b  houses or comprises computing system  100  and respirator  40 , and the foot portion  12   c  houses or comprises pulse oximeter device  22 . In other embodiments, such devices may be housed or incorporated at other locations on the mobile newborn bed  10  or may be provided separately but in conjunction with the mobile newborn bed  10 . 
     Devices and systems for providing resuscitation and other respiratory therapy to an infant  2  may be associated with or incorporated into the newborn respiration monitoring system  1 , which includes sensors placed within a breathing circuit  25 . A breathing circuit  25  for providing gas to the infant  2  may include a ventilator device  40 , such as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, a positive pressure ventilation (PPV) device, or a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) device (or a ventilator device providing all three respiratory therapies). In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 , the ventilator device  40  receives a gas supply from supply tube  42  connected to gas supply tank  44  supported on the base frame portion  52   a . The ventilator device  40  regulates the gas supply as appropriate to provide resuscitative or respiratory assistance to the infant  2 . The ventilator device  40  connects to the breathing tube  38  to supply gas to the infant through mask  36  applied over the infant&#39;s nose and mouth. In other embodiments, the breathing tube  38  may deliver gas to the infant  2  via a nasal cannula or by some other delivery means. 
     The breathing circuit  25  is equipped with sensors for measuring parameters relevant to the infant&#39;s respiration, which may be provided in the mask  36 , breathing tube  38 , or at the connection of the mask  36  and the breathing tube  38 . Various sensors may be incorporated into the breathing circuit  25 , such as a CO 2  sensor  28  that measures CO 2  in gas expired by the infant  2 , an O 2  sensor  27  that measures O 2  in gas inspired by the infant  2 , a flow sensor  29  that measures gas flow at a location in the breathing circuit  25 , a pressure sensor  30  that measures pressure at a location in the breathing circuit  25 , a temperature sensor  31  measuring temperature of expired and/or inspired gas within the breathing circuit  25 , and/or a humidity sensor  32  measuring humidity of inspired gas within the breathing circuit  25 . More specifically, the O 2  sensor  27  supplies O 2  measurements  90 , CO 2  sensor  28  supplies CO 2  measurements  91 , flow sensor  29  supplies flow measurements  92 , pressure sensor  30  supplies pressure measurements  93 , temperature sensor  31  supplies temperature measurements  94 , and humidity sensor  32  supplies humidity measurements  95 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the mobile newborn bed  10  may include a battery  48  to power the various devices thereon, including some or all of the various sensing devices, the computing system  100 , the ventilator device  40 , and/or the digital display  46 . The battery  48  may be positioned on the base frame portion  52   a , for example, and in such a location to be easily accessed in order to recharge or replace the battery  48 . The charge status of the battery  48  may be monitored by a power control module, such as may be provided separately from and in communication with, or otherwise incorporated into, the computing system  100 . Further, the computing system  100  may provide a battery status notification, such as on digital display  46 , regarding the charge of the battery  48  on the digital display  46  so that a clinician or other user will be able to determine the charge level of the battery  48 . 
     In various embodiments, newborn respiration monitoring system  1  may be configured with any one or more of the aforementioned sensors to provide respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95  from the breathing circuit  25 , and such respiration parameter measurements may include, but are not limited to, the aforementioned measurements. The respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95  are communicated to computing system  100  by wired or wireless means. For example, each of the sensors  27 - 32  may be incorporated into the patient-end of the breathing circuit  25 , such as in the mask  36 , breathing tube  38 , or at a junction therebetween, and such sensors may connect by wires running along the breathing tube  38 . In some embodiments such wires may be incorporated into the length of the breathing tube  38 . In other embodiments, one or more of the sensors  27 - 32  may be equipped with or associated with a wireless transmitter to wirelessly transmit the respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95  to the computing system  100 , and in such embodiments may also be associated with or include an analog-to-digital converter to digitize analog signals before wireless transmission. 
     For example, each of the aforementioned sensors  27 - 32  may be contained in a respiration sensor device  26  positioned in the breathing circuit  25 , such as between the mask  36  and the breathing tube  38 .  FIG. 4  schematically depicts an exemplary embodiment of the respiration sensor device  26  containing O 2  sensor  27 , CO 2  sensor  28 , flow sensor  29 , pressure sensor  30 , temperature sensor  31 , and humidity sensor  32 . For instance, the respiration sensor device  26  may be configured to communicate the respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95  from all of the sensors  27 - 32  to the computing system  100 . The respiration sensor device  26  may communicate wirelessly or by wires that extend to the computing system  100 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , wires (such as extending along and/or embedded into the breathing tube  38 ) connect one or more sensors  27 - 32  to a receiving connector in the bassinet  12 , or otherwise electrically connect to the computing system  100 . In other embodiments, such as that depicted in  FIG. 4 , the respiration sensor device  26  may communicate the respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95  to a wireless receiver associated with the computing system  100 . 
     The computing system  100  may be communicatively connected (i.e. connected by physical or wireless means so as to be able to communicate messages to or with another device) to digital display  46  to communicate display commands thereto, such as to display the respiratory information  96  thereon. Accordingly, the digital display  46  may display the infant&#39;s respiration rate, FiO 2 , etCO 2 , or any of numerous other respiratory information  96  to a clinician while the clinician is providing medical care to the infant  2 . Likewise, the computing system  100  may control the digital display  46  to display notifications of inappropriate respiratory intervention, poor respiratory health or respiratory events, such as to provide a visual alert when one or more values in the respiratory information  96  is outside of a predetermined range or changes by more than a predetermined amount over a short period of time. 
     The digital display  46  may be any digital display device known in the art and may be a housed separately from the computing system  100  or housed together with the computing system  100 . In the context of the  FIG. 1  embodiment, the digital display may be fixed to the bassinet  12 , such as to the head portion  12   b  of the bassinet  12 , in a way that is visible to clinicians providing care to the infant  2 . Alternatively, the digital display  46  may be a separable or completely separate device from the bassinette  12 , such as a tablet or mobile computer. In still other embodiments, the digital display  46  may be a display of another device networked with the computing system  100  of the newborn respiration monitoring system  1 , such as a display of a fetal monitor. Likewise, in an embodiment where the newborn respiration monitoring system is incorporated into or with another monitoring device, the computing system  100  may be a shared computing system with multiple monitoring functions. 
     In an embodiment where the newborn respiration monitoring system  1  is a stand-alone device, the computing system  100  may be housed separately from or together with the digital display  46  and the sensors  27 - 32 . For example, the computing system  100  may be incorporated into the same housing as the digital display  46 , or it may be partially or entirely incorporated into a housing with one or more of the sensors  27 - 32 .  FIG. 4  exemplifies one embodiment where the computing system  100  comprises a first computing system portion  100   a  incorporated into respiration sensor device  26  and a second computing system portion  100   b  communicatively connected to digital display  46 . As described further herein, the various functions of the computing system  100  and resuscitation module  72  may be divided between multiple locations and executed on different processors. 
     The newborn respiration monitoring system  1  may further include a pulse oximeter device  22 , including sensor  23  attachable to the patient that determines an estimate of oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) value  88  and transmits the SPO 2  value  88  to the computing system  100 . The pulse oximeter  22  may transmit the SpO 2  value by wired or wireless means, various examples of which are provided herein. In an embodiment like that of  FIG. 1  where the newborn respiration monitoring system  1  is incorporated into a mobile newborn bed  10 , the pulse oximeter  22  may be incorporated into the bassinet  12 , such as in the foot portion  12   c . In other embodiments, the pulse oximeter may be a separate device that may be kept in proximity of the bassinet  12  and may be wirelessly paired with the computing system  100 . As exemplified in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the pulse oximeter  22  is provided with receiver/transmitter  24 , which communicates with receiver/transmitter  35  of the second computing system portion  100   b.    
     The sensor  23  may be any sensor device capable of measuring the infant&#39;s peripheral oxygen saturation or other hemoglobin saturation parameters, such as a disposable adhesive sensor device configured to wrap around the infant&#39;s foot. The sensor  23  may include a wire connecting to the pulse oximeter  22 . In still other embodiments, the physical circuitry and software of the pulse oximeter  22  may be incorporated within the computing system  100 , and thus the sensor  23  may communicate measurements related to O 2  saturation directly to the computing system  100  for determination of SpO 2  values  88  for the infant  2 . 
     Upon receipt or determination of the SpO 2  value  88  for the infant  2 , the computing system  100  may transmit the SpO 2  value  88  to the hub device  68 , or directly to a host network  76 . Further, the computing system  100  may send control signals to the digital display  46  in order to display the SpO 2  value  88  thereon. Alternatively or additionally, the device  22  may be a co-oximeter device that measures and determines one or more of SpO2, carboxyhemoglobin saturation (SpCO), methemoglobin saturation (SpMet), and/or total hemoglobin concentration (g/dl SpHb). For instance, the co-oximeter device  22  may be a Rainbow SET Pulse CO-Oximeter by Masimo Corporation of Irvine, Calif. The SpO 2 , SpCO, SpMet and/or SpHb can relate to respiration and can provide useful information regarding what and how respiratory intervention should be applied. Accordingly, the newborn respiration monitoring system  1  may incorporate such measurements in its overall display of information to a clinician providing care for the infant  2 , so that the infant&#39;s condition can be immediately assessed and it can be determined what resuscitative care is necessary and appropriate. 
     As described herein, the digital display  46  may be controlled by the computing system  100  to provide various health information for the patient, including the respiratory information  96 , SPO 2  value  88 , or any other relevant value. Additionally, the digital display  46  may provide a user input device, such as via a touchscreen, to provide control input to the computing system  100  and/or any other system or device incorporated in or associated with the newborn respiration monitoring system  1 . Accordingly, in various embodiments, multiple systems and devices may connect directly to the digital display  46  and be capable of providing control signals to the digital display  46 . For example, the ventilator device  40  may connect to the digital display  46  and the digital display  46  may provide a user interface to control the ventilator device  40 . Such connectivity may be provided directly between the ventilator device  40  and the digital display  46 , or may be routed through the computing system  100 , which may provide a central control for multiple devices, such as including the ventilator device  40 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the computing system  100  may include a software module stored in memory and executable on a processor  106  within the computing system  100 , a resuscitation module  72 , configured to process one or more of the respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95  to generate respiratory information  96  regarding the respiratory status of the infant  2 . For example, the resuscitation module  72  may determine respiratory information  96  including an inspired O 2  indicator, such as fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO 2 ). Alternatively or additionally, respiratory information  96  determined by the resuscitation module  72  may include an end tidal CO 2  (etCO 2 ) based on the CO 2  measurements  91 . Likewise, resuscitation module  72  may calculate tidal volume based on the flow measurements  92 , such as by calculating volume as an integral of the flow curve and/or sum of the flow measurements  92  during the inspiratory cycle, and/or intake air pressure based on the pressure measurements  93 . Alternatively or additionally, the resuscitation module  72  may utilize the temperature measurements  94  to determine the temperature of the inspired gas and/or the expired gas. Such temperature measurements  94  may be used to regulate the temperature of the gas provided to the infant  2  and/or to determine information about the temperature of the infant  2 . The resuscitation module  72  may utilize the humidity measurements  95  to determine a humidity of the gas being provided to the patient, and such information may be used to control the same. Any one of the aforementioned values may be included in the respiratory information  96 , which may also include any number of alternative or additional parameters (e.g., respiration rate) outputted by the resuscitation module  72 , and such respiratory information  96  may be transmitted to a hub device  68  and/or a host network  76  for storage in the patient&#39;s medical record in database  78 . Alternatively or additionally, some or all of the respiratory information  96  may be displayed on the digital display  46 . 
       FIG. 4  schematically depicts an exemplary embodiment of the newborn respiration monitoring system  1  that includes a respiration sensor device  26  containing O 2  sensor  27 , CO 2  sensor  28 , flow sensor  29 , pressure sensor  30 , temperature sensor  31 , and humidity sensor  32 . The respiration sensor device  26  further includes a first computing system portion  100   a  having processor  106   a  and first resuscitation module portion  72   a  executed on processor  106   a  receives the respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95  from the sensors  27 - 31 . A person having ordinary skill in the art will understand in light of this disclosure that computing system portions  106   a  and  106   b  may be independent computing systems communicatively connected as part of the newborn respiration monitoring system  1  and to execute the methods  140  described herein. Likewise, a person having ordinary skill in the art will understand in light of this disclosure that the computing system portions  100   a ,  100   b  may be housed in any of various components within the system  1 , such as in the respirator device  40  or incorporated as part of another fetal monitor or fetal care device or system. The first computing system portion  100   a  and resuscitation module portion  72   a  may filter and condition the signals for transmission to the second computing system portion  100   b  and second resuscitation module portion  72   b . A person having ordinary skill in the art will understand in light of this disclosure that such sensors  27 - 32  may be analog or digital, producing analog or digital respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95 , and thus analog-to-digital conversion circuitry may be incorporated in the respiration sensor device  26  as necessary to digitize measurements from analog sensor devices. The first resuscitation module portion  72   a  may process some or all of the respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95  to respiratory information  96  for the infant. 
     The first computing system portion  100   a  and first resuscitation module portion  72   a  communicates the respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95  and/or respiratory information  96  via wireless communication protocol to second computing system portion  100   b  through wireless receiver/transmitter  34 . Transmissions from the wireless receiver/transmitter  34  are received by a wireless receiver/transmitter  35  associated with the computing system  100 . The wireless receiver/transmitters  34  and  35  may communicate via any wireless protocol, and relatively short range wireless protocols, such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), ANT, ZigBee, or a near field communication (NFC) protocol, may be especially useful in embodiments of the newborn respiration monitoring system  1  where the distance between the respiration sensor device  26  and the second computing system portion  100   b  are expected to be small. In other embodiments, the communication may be via network protocols appropriate for longer-range wireless transmissions, such as on the wireless medical telemetry service (WMTS) spectrum or on a Wi-Fi-compliant wireless local area network (WLAN). In still other embodiments, the receiver/transmitters  109  and  209   a  may be capable of switching between two or more wireless communication protocols, such as to optimize data communication based on the situation. 
     The respiration sensor device  26  may be configured to be positionable between the mask  36  and the breathing tube  38 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , the respiration sensor device  26  may have a first end  26   a  connectable to mask  36  (or other gas delivery means, such as nasal prongs) and a second end  26   b  connectable to breathing tube  38 . Accordingly, each end  26   a ,  26   b  may have appropriate connecting means to facilitate such connection within the breathing circuit. Furthermore, the first end  26   a  and second end  26   b  may be configured in any position with respect to one another on the respiration sensor device, and may be positioned oppositely, perpendicularly, or adjacently to one another on the respiration sensor device  26 . In another embodiment, the respiration sensor device  26  may be incorporated into the mask  36 , such that the respiration sensor device  26  is a single, inseparable element with the mask  36 . 
     In  FIG. 4 , the second computing system portion  100   b  and the second resuscitation module portion  72   b  receive the respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95  and/or respiratory information  96  and conduct further processing as required to generate further respiratory information  96  and/or conduct further assessment of the data. For example, the second resuscitation module portion  72   b  may determine one or more respiratory information trends, such as by plotting some or all of the respiratory information  96  with respect to time. The second resuscitation module portion  72   b  may further control the digital display  46  to display some or all of the respiratory information  96  or respiratory information trends. The second computing system portion  100   b  communicates wirelessly to a hub device  68 , which in turn communicates wirelessly to host network  76 . The hub device  68  may be may be positioned at any location within communication distance of the second computing system portion  100   b . The hub device  68  may be provided by a mobile computing device, such as a laptop, tablet, smart phone, or the like. For example, a software application may be provided to allow a clinician&#39;s tablet or smart phone to act as the hub device  68 . In still other embodiments, the hub device  68  may be a fetal monitoring unit, and thus the second computing system portion  100   b  may communicate the respiratory information  96  and or respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95  to the fetal monitoring unit for transmission to the host network  76 . In such an embodiment, the fetal monitoring unit may also provide the digital display  46  to display some or all of the respiratory information  96 , etc. 
     In an embodiment incorporating a hub device  68 , the hub device  68  has a computing system  200  equipped with a processor  206 . The hub computing system  200  is equipped to communicate with the computing system  100  and the host network  76  via receiver/transmitters  209   a  and  209   b  respectively. Wireless communication between the hub device  68  and the host network  76 , or between the computing system  100  and the host network  76 , may accomplished by any wireless protocols known in the relevant art. In the depicted embodiments, the computing system  100  has receiver/transmitter  109  configured to communicate with receiver/transmitter  209   a  on the hub device  68 . The various receiver/transmitters  24 ,  34 ,  35 ,  109 ,  209   a ,  209   b ,  309  may include separate receiving and transmitting devices or may include an integrated device providing both functions, such as a transceiver. The computing system  100  and hub device  68 , via respective receiver/transmitters  109  and  209   a , may be configured as medical body area network (MBAN) devices. In other embodiments, the receiver/transmitters  109  and  209   a , and/or  209   b  and  309  may communicate via other short range radio protocols, such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), ANT, ZigBee, or NFC. In other embodiments, the communication may be via network protocols appropriate for longer-range wireless transmissions, such as on the wireless medical telemetry service (WMTS) spectrum or on a Wi-Fi-compliant wireless local area network (WLAN). In still other embodiments, the respective receiver/transmitters may be capable of switching between two or more wireless communication protocols, such as to optimize data communication based on the situation. 
     In other embodiments, where the computing system  100  communicates directly with the host network  76  via communication between receiver/transmitters  109  and  209 , such transmission may be via network protocol appropriate for longer-range wireless transmissions, such as on the WMTS spectrum or on a WLAN, as described above. The host network  76  may be, for example, a local computer network having servers housed within a medical facility where the infant  2  is born, or it may be a cloud-based system housed by a cloud computing provider. The host network  76  may include a medical records database  78  housing the medical records for the infant  2 , which may be updated to store the information transmitted by the computing system  100  and/or the hub device  68 . 
       FIG. 3  provides a system diagram of a computing system  100  having resuscitation module  72  executable to determine respiratory information  96 . Furthermore, the resuscitation module  72  executable to store the respiratory information  96  in storage system  104  of the computing system  100  so that such information may be accessed at a later time, such as to generate trend plots. Likewise, resuscitation module  72  may be executable to store the measurement data from the sensors  27 - 32 , in storage system  104  of the computing system  100  so that such information may be accessed at a later time, such as to generate trend plots. For example, such information may be accessed by the various modules and/or by clinicians to determine whether the infant  2  is ready for discharge or whether certain physiological indicators indicate that continued care is needed, such as whether the infant  2  is experiencing continued apnea events. 
     Computing system  100  includes a processor  106 , storage system  104 , software  102 , and communication interface  108 . The processor  106  loads and executes software  102  from the storage system  104 , including the resuscitation module  72 , which is an application within the software  102 . The resuscitation module  72  includes computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the computing system  100  (including the processor  106 ), direct the processor  106  to operate as described herein. 
     Although the computing system  100  as depicted in  FIG. 3  includes one software  102  encapsulating one resuscitation module  72 , it should be understood that one or more software elements having one or more modules may provide the same operation. Similarly, while description as provided herein refers to one computing system  100  and a processor  106 , it is to be recognized that the methods and systems described herein be executed using two or more computing systems (processors, storage systems, etc.), which may be communicatively connected, and such implementations (which are exemplified in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 ) are considered to be within the scope of the description. 
     Processor  106  may comprise a microprocessor and other circuitry that retrieves and executes software  102  from storage system  104 . Processor  106  can be implemented within a single processing device but can also be distributed across multiple processing devices or sub-systems that cooperate in executing program instructions. Examples of processor  106  include general purpose central processing units, application specific processors, and logic devices, as well as any other type of processing device, combinations of processing devices, or variations thereof. 
     The storage system  104  may comprise any storage media, or group of storage media, readable by processor  106  and capable of storing software  102 . The storage system  104  may include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Storage system  104  can be implemented as a single storage device but may also be implemented across multiple storage devices or sub-systems. Storage system  104  may further include additional elements, such a controller capable of communicating with the processor  106 . 
     Examples of storage media include random access memory, read only memory, magnetic discs, optical discs, flash memory, virtual memory, and non-virtual memory, magnetic sets, magnetic tape, magnetic disc storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to storage the desired information and that may be accessed by an instruction execution system, as well as any combination or variation thereof, or any other type of storage medium. Likewise, the storage media may be housed locally with the processor  106 , or may be distributed in one or more servers, which may be at multiple locations and networked, such as in cloud computing applications and systems. In some implementations, the storage media can be a non-transitory storage media. In some implementations, at least a portion of the storage media may be transitory. 
     The communication interface  108  is configured to provide communication between the processor  106  and various other systems and devices, including to receive respiration parameter measurements  90 - 95  from sensors  27 - 32  and communicate commands and information to the hub device  68  and/or host network  76 . For example, communication interface  108  may control or include receiver/transmitters  35  that communicate with receiver/transmitter  34  on the respiration sensor device  26 . Likewise, communication interface  108  may control or include receiver/transmitter  109  that communicates with the receiver/transmitter  209   a  on the hub device  68  or receiver/transmitter  309  of the host network  76 . Likewise, communication interface  108  may receive information from wired connections, such as from the pulse oximeter  22  and/or ventilator device  40 . Likewise, communication interface  108  may communicate with or include a controller for the digital display  46 . 
       FIG. 5  depicts one embodiment of a method  140  of monitoring newborn infant respiration. A respiration sensor device  26  is provided at step  141 , and the respiration sensor device  26  is placed in the breathing circuit  25  at step  142 , such as between the mask  36  and breathing tube  38 . The breathing circuit is provided to the infant  2  at step  143 , such as by placing the mask over the infant&#39;s nose and mouth. One or more respiration parameters are measured by various sensors within the breathing circuit  25 , such as O 2 , CO 2 , flow rate, pressure, volume, temperature, and humidity. O 2  measurements  90  are measured and/or received at step  144 , such as by O 2  sensor  27 , resuscitation module  72  in the software  102  of the computing system  100 . The resuscitation module  72  then determines an FiO 2  value at step  145  based on the O 2  measurements  90 . Similarly, CO 2  measurements  91  are measured and/or received at step  146 , and an etCO 2  value is determined at step  147  based on the CO 2  measurements  91 . Similarly, flow measurements  92  are measured and/or received at step  148  and a tidal volume is determined at step  149  based on the flow measurements  92 . Likewise, a respiration rate may be determined at step  150  based on the flow measurements  92 , such as based on the period of the flow cycle. Alternatively or additionally, the respiration rate may be determined based on different measurements, such as based on the period of the pressure cycle. Pressure measurements  93  are measured and/or received at step  152 , and inspiratory pressure is determined at step  153  based thereon. Temperature measurements  94  are likewise measured and/or received at step  154 , and an inspiratory gas temperature (i.e. temperature of the inspiratory gas) may be determined at step  155 . For example, the inspiratory gas temperature may be the average or mean of the temperature measurements  94  recorded during the inspiratory phase of one or more breath cycles. Alternatively or additionally, an expired gas temperature is determined at step  156 , such as an average or mean of the temperature measurements  94  recorded during the expiratory phase of one or more breath cycles. Humidity measurements  95  are likewise measured and/or received at step  158 , and a humidity of an inspiratory gas is determined at step  159 . Further respiratory information  96  may be calculated at step  160 , such as comparing the inspiratory pressure and tidal volume to generate a pressure vs. volume map. Some or all of the forgoing respiratory information  96  may be displayed at step  162 , such as on the digital display  46 . At step  163 , the respiratory information  96  is stored in memory of storage system  104 . The respiratory information  96  is transmitted at step  164 , such as to the hub device  68  and/or the host network  76  as described herein. In one embodiment, steps  144  through  164  are carried out by executing instructions of the resuscitation module  72  on processor  106  of the computing system  100 . In another embodiment, one or more of the steps  144 - 159  are carried out within the respiration sensor device  26 , such as by executing corresponding software instructions on a processor of first computing system  100   a  therein. The respective values generated at those steps may be transmitted to the second computing system  100   b , which may then execute steps  162  through  164 . 
       FIG. 6  depicts another embodiment of a method  140  of monitoring infant respiration where respiratory information trends are determined and displayed to assist a clinician in determining the respiratory condition or health status of the infant. At step  166 , stored respiratory information  96  is accessed, such as by resuscitation module  72  within computing system  100 . At step  168 , all respiration rate values are plotted with respect to time, which may include all respiration rate values determined for the infant  2  since the infant&#39;s time of birth, or may include respiration rate values over a predetermined or selected period of time. Similarly, the etCO 2  values are plotted with respect to time at step  169 , which may again include all values calculated since the infant&#39;s birth or a subset of those values. Likewise, tidal volume values are plotted with respect to time at step  170 , which may again include all tidal volume values calculated since the infant&#39;s birth or a subset thereof. The respiratory trend information is displayed at step  171 , which may include any or all of the respiration rate plot, the etCO 2  plot, and the tidal volume plot, for example. 
     This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be inferred therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes only and are intended to be broadly construed. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have features or structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent features or structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.