Oxygen levels 89-93 for three days

[Pasturesorange]

Good morning,

I wonder if you can advise please? My three year old DS has a cough and had a temperature which has now passed. He’s had a PCR - negative. We have a oximeter at home as my DD has asthma so I’ve been using this on him and his oxygen levels aren’t going above 93 - generally sitting at 90, 91.

We called 111 yesterday morning and took him to urgent care. The dr got the same readings but decided he didn’t need any further support as not showing other signs of respiratory distress and chatting.

He’s now not slept properly for three nights as waking coughing and gasping, he isn’t able to play, as coughing as soon as starts walking around. He’s been sick twice but is eating a little and drinking.

Steam isn’t helping, cold air made him cough to vomit. He’s laying propped up and I’ve tried giving him Benadryl glycerine to ease raw throat.

It’s strange for me that he was just sent home as my daughter has always been given nebulisers, oxygen when her sats got low.

Any ideas how I can make him more comfortable?

Thank you!

Just to offer a little reassurance. If your child has bronchiolitis then sats of 90% and above are acceptable under the latest treatment guidelines. It sounds as though this is what your DS is more prone to as you mention previous RSV. As long as he’s not wheezing then nebulisers/ steroids are unlikely to help. He’s a little old for bronchiolitis rather than a viral wheeze but that fits the post covid pattern that’s being seen in paediatrics just now - bronchiolitis affecting slightly older age ranges and not just the under one’s becoming unwell.

If he starts wheezing or struggling with breathing then absolutely head back to be seen but sats in low 90s don’t automatically mean he needs admission. Out with bronchiolitis the limit would normally be anything less than 94% requires oxygen.

Hope he’s back to normal soon and you all manage some rest.

I mean post covid in general population sense not that the individuals had covid. It’s been a weird winter so far in paediatrics

My 1 year old has been sent to a&e twice this year with rapid breathing and a fast heart rate. Both times sats sat around 90 and I was told that anything above 90 isn't a concern with a virus and sent home.
I hope he's feeling a bit better today.

Thank you for your reassuring messages. I haven’t been able to get him an appointment at the gp. Calling first thing each morning and by the time I get through they’re gone.

That being said he is much brighter - sleeping through the night again and sats up to 95 most of the time. I’m still going to keep trying for a gp appointment but he’s much happier - even trying to run around! It doesn’t last long but he’s wanting to so that’s a bonus!

So glad he's on the mend. X

Glad he’s feeling bit brighter now

Please take him to a&e student child nurse here and he most likely needs some oxygen treatment and bloods taken for infection markers
X

Current paediatric bronch guidance is that o2 Sats of 90 & above are acceptable as long as there’s no increased work of breathing. The ward I work on uses this as the basis for treating & discarding children with viral respiratory infections.
(Paeds nurse)

Discharging obviously
We don’t discard children!