Oximeter and saturation in children

[sal1223]

Evening ! To start with my child is fine - we've all had colds and coughs the last few days but no temp etc , lateral flow tests all coming back negative . Oximeter is reading low on my youngest but I can't find any solid chart online as a guide for children and have lost the paperwork that came with it . Does anyone have one that came with instructions and / or a chart
I know this one works ok because he was very poorly a year ago, I called it in and told them it was 88 , they said no must be wrong and when ambulance arrived they put one on each hand and they were 88! 😬 which is dangerously low ! His average is 97+ but asleep right now it's saying 94

We used to aim for 94 min when dd had a sats monitor. Any less than that and she needed oxygen.

Thanks for your reply . I was told it's only meant to be part of overall stats etc , he's ok in every other way sleeping happily and breathing ok - not sure if I'm being neurotic 😬

Hi OP, I don’t have a guide but when my son had bronchiolitis they wanted to keep his oxygen above 94 including asleep.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng143/resources/support-for-education-and-learning-educational-resource-traffic-light-table-pdf-6960664333

My dd was regularly in hospital with bronchiolitis, viral wheeze and now asthma. My local hospital tended only to act with oxygen if she was 92 sats or less. If he has history of low sats best to get him checked.

I don’t tend to worry about a 94 but lower than that it’s always turned out to be pneumonia. (Except when it was croup but then it was 88, also confirmed by the ambulance crew.)
The doctors say every time that the home meter isn’t accurate but it’s always the same as theirs.

What age of child and what type of probe? Adult probes are crap at getting accurate readings on small children, and thus tend to under read.

With coughs you shouldn’t be relying on LFT and should book a PCR.

I would call 111 and ask their professional advice

Similar to PP, when my DS was around 3, he went to hospital with his chest. They checked his sats and they were low 90's and they kept him in for 48hours until they went back up. They wouldnt let him go until it reached 95 again.

@User5827372728

With coughs you shouldn’t be relying on LFT and should book a PCR.

I would call 111 and ask their professional advice

Agreed.

With my dd, if she had a cold, I’d just keep an eye on her with them sats has this been a issue for you before?
Do you have salbutamol and have you given that?

How old is he?

@User5827372728

With coughs you shouldn’t be relying on LFT and should book a PCR.

I would call 111 and ask their professional advice

Children get coughs you know and despite what’s said on here young children generally don’t suffer badly through Covid. And professional advice, 111? Is that supposed to be a joke?

We were in hospital last week and following surgery my daughter spent the night in HDU, they put the mask near her face below 94 and gave her oxygen tube up her nose at 92.

With her asthma, if she goes below 94 I know it’s time to get her seen.

It was always lower when she was asleep. Once out of HDU and on the ward, it would beep at 93/94 but the nurses just cleared it and didn’t seem too concerned.

@pollylocketpickedapocket

Yes If my children’s o2 levels were 94% I would call 111. How is that funny?

Yes I get kids get coughs, that’s why you do a pcr test and rule of covid .

What does it go to on your finger @sal1223? Switch fingers, try a toe… are the hands cool or warm? I don’t think I’d waken and sitting an otherwise well child for 94% but I’d keep an eye on them overnight.

[quote User5827372728]@pollylocketpickedapocket

Yes If my children’s o2 levels were 94% I would call 111. How is that funny?

Yes I get kids get coughs, that’s why you do a pcr test and rule of covid .[/quote]
If my child’s sats were low(and I’ve been there MANY times, I’d be seeing a real dr ASAP, not doing the ridiculous box ticking shite with call centre staff.

@pollylocketpickedapocket

Sorry I miss-understand, I thought you meant it was silly to call 111 for 94%, I.e that wasn’t a health problem

@nocoolnamesleft

What age of child and what type of probe? Adult probes are crap at getting accurate readings on small children, and thus tend to under read.

This. Adult probes often under read on small children. We used to set ours to alarm at 94% on our paediatric patients.

Asthmatic DD
They get twitchy if her sats drop blow 95%, 90% and below, they advise straight to A&E
When she’s been admitted and given oxygen, they won’t discharge until she’s reliably above 95% and stable off oxygen, day and night (plus oral steroids)

@WorriedMillie

Asthmatic DD They get twitchy if her sats drop blow 95%, 90% and below, they advise straight to A&E When she’s been admitted and given oxygen, they won’t discharge until she’s reliably above 95% and stable off oxygen, day and night (plus oral steroids)

Yes, with my dd discharge is 24 hours after oxygen

Doctors called me about my eldests funny mole so I asked him and he said when they're asleep
They're only using a quarter of king capacity so that on top of a respiratory virus I should only worry if it goes below 90 , and leave room for error as it's an Amazon oximeter 😅 also take in to account his well-being (he's been fine playing etc) I get anxious with this one as he's autistic and non verbal - 6 years old . I do pointy finger and others and toes - he's fine though and I need to chill out . Thank for all the replies xx