children s health issues
Brief, Resolved, Unexplained Event (BRUE)
Introduction
BRUE (brief, resolved, unexplained event) is not a specific disorder. Rather it is a term used to describe the sudden occurrence in children under 1 year old of certain alarming symptoms, such as a change in breathing, a change in color, a change in muscle tone, or a change in the level of responsiveness. An event is classified as a BRUE if no cause of the symptoms is found after a thorough medical evaluation. Similar symptoms, may be caused by digestive, nervous system, breathing, infectious, heart, and metabolic disorders as well as by physical trauma. The diagnosis is based on a discussion with caregivers, a physical examination, and sometimes the results of certain laboratory tests. Treatment is aimed at specific causes, if they are identified. Sometimes infants have episodes of symptoms that raise concern about their health. Terminology to describe these episodes has changed recently. Previously, doctors used the term "ALTE" (apparent life-threatening event) to classify all events where infants suddenly developed alarming symptoms regardless of whether an underlying cause was ultimately found. Currently, if there is no underlying cause, doctors refer to the event as a BRUE (brief, resolved, unexplained event). BRUE is a term that describes only episodes that occur in children under 1 year of age: B = Brief: The event lasts for less than 1 minute. R = Resolved: The event ends and the child returns to a normal state of health. U = Unexplained: No cause can be found after a doctor's evaluation. E = Event: The child has symptoms such as changes in breathing or a period of no breathing (apnea), a change in color, a change in muscle tone, and/or a change in the level of responsiveness. Such episodes may seem to be related to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) (SIDS), but most infants with SIDS did not have any type of alarming event beforehand. However, infants who have had 2 or more BRUEs appear to be at an increased risk of SIDS. 