Oxygen level 84%

Worriedaande · 2024-02-18T21:24:40+00:00

Concerned for my 2.5 year old son's breathing after a cough started yesterday, I brought him to A&E. oxygen levels or 84%. He's been on nebulisers, given steroids and is on oxygen. Sleeping soundly now and I've freaked myself out checking what oxygen levels mean. Will he have any damage from an oxygen level or 84%?

pickledandpuzzled · 18/02/2024 21:27

I really strongly recommend you speak to staff directly involved. They know the whole picture for him.
He’s in the right place, getting care. Concentrate on him getting better a day at a time, and let bigger worrries wait until you’ve had some sleep!

Justmemyselfandi999 · 18/02/2024 21:28

Prolonged at those levels yes, but temporarily no. My daughter struggled with Asthma for most of her younger years, her Sats stayed at the low 80s regularly. No lasting damage. Hope you are released soon.

Beginningless · 18/02/2024 21:29

My daughter had pneumonia a couple
of years ago and her sats were that low initially. She recovered and is very healthy. Her lungs are her weak spot however and I’m sure that infection didn’t help. But she’s a happy and active girl, we just need to keep an eye on her chest when she gets colds. Hope he reckovers quickly.

Mannikin · 18/02/2024 21:30

He should be totally fine long term. He’s in the right place, getting the right care. Do tell the staff looking after him your worries, they should be able to reassure you. Well done for getting him the help he needed.

fortheloveofpogs · 18/02/2024 22:03

If he's sleeping on his back or side, could you try moving him on to his front? This always helps my son's sats when sleeping.

💐

FloweryFlump · 18/02/2024 22:11

My son's SATs were always low when he was little and he's a strapping teen now. Your boy's getting the treatment he needs and should recover well.

Original poster

Worriedaande · 18/02/2024 22:13

Thank you for the reassurance everyone. An exhausting and stressful day has caught up with me now that he's asleep and I'm getting a bit emotional.

I will speak to the doctor next time I see them.

OP posts:

JessicaPeach · 18/02/2024 22:21

I had both my 2yo twins in hospital in December with the same. Is he keeping his mask on? If not, they might turn it right up and just keep it near to his face. It took a couple of days to get ours under control, one twin flicked like a switch and was suddenly able to maintain his oxygen again but the other one took longer and was still touch and go if they'd discharge us on the 4th night.

If you can prop him up slightly that will help but sometimes just makes it worse as they slide down the bed.

Hope he's better soon, we are 'frequent fliers' to a&e with breathing issues but that episode with both of them was the worst it's been and it was only afterwards that I realised how bad it had been. Hope you are ok too xx

Original poster

Worriedaande · 18/02/2024 22:26

JessicaPeach · 18/02/2024 22:21

I had both my 2yo twins in hospital in December with the same. Is he keeping his mask on? If not, they might turn it right up and just keep it near to his face. It took a couple of days to get ours under control, one twin flicked like a switch and was suddenly able to maintain his oxygen again but the other one took longer and was still touch and go if they'd discharge us on the 4th night.

If you can prop him up slightly that will help but sometimes just makes it worse as they slide down the bed.

Hope he's better soon, we are 'frequent fliers' to a&e with breathing issues but that episode with both of them was the worst it's been and it was only afterwards that I realised how bad it had been. Hope you are ok too xx

It's so frightening. How stressful for you with both your children sick at the same time! This is our first time in A&E with breathing problems. They've changed the mask for the prongs so that he can sleep more easily and he's getting the nebuliser for ten minutes a time at regular visits. He's sleeping soundly compared to last night at home when he coughed all night long.

OP posts:

FabFebHalfTerm · 18/02/2024 22:29

@Worriedaande

scary isn't it xx

but he's being well looked after. Try to get some sleep yourself while there are other people checking on him, you need to be as well slept as you can be for going home!

Original poster

Worriedaande · 18/02/2024 22:33

FabFebHalfTerm · 18/02/2024 22:29

@Worriedaande

scary isn't it xx

but he's being well looked after. Try to get some sleep yourself while there are other people checking on him, you need to be as well slept as you can be for going home!

He's just woken up for the 3rd time pulling the prongs out of his nose. I don't know how to sleep when he keeps rolling about and ripping them out in his sleep.

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JessicaPeach · 18/02/2024 22:37

They talked about changing to prongs for one of mine but decided not to because the flow is limited through them. So keep an eye on that, he might need more than they can get through the prongs. That's why they whacked ours up and they just had the mask round their necks a lot of the time which was enough.

Hope you manage to get a bit of sleep. I was like the walking dead flitting between them while my husband snored on one of those ready beds, they only wanted me!

Original poster

Worriedaande · 18/02/2024 22:42

JessicaPeach · 18/02/2024 22:37

They talked about changing to prongs for one of mine but decided not to because the flow is limited through them. So keep an eye on that, he might need more than they can get through the prongs. That's why they whacked ours up and they just had the mask round their necks a lot of the time which was enough.

Hope you manage to get a bit of sleep. I was like the walking dead flitting between them while my husband snored on one of those ready beds, they only wanted me!

They said they are happy with the prongs at the moment but will change to the mask if they need to. I don't understand how he could sleep with a mask but I suppose if he's near him rather than on him that's fine. He's leaping about like a salmon in his sleep and rattling the metal bars of the cot so I'll never sleep.

I'll have to say to the next person that comes in about him ripping them out 🤦🏼‍♀️

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CatchAButterfly · 18/02/2024 22:47

My toddler DS has had many episodes of this, with several hospital stays, and my second then had it at 10 weeks old just a few weeks ago, so I have been there many many times. They have both suffered from low oxygen levels, and as PP said, temporary drops when unwell won’t leave lasting damage.

The first time I dealt with this was when DS was 7 months old, and it left me very traumatised. We have also had a number of other terrifying episodes. And then as I said, my newborn then had the same recently. It’s a very scary thing to go through as a parent, and chances are you will be traumatised at seeing your child so unwell and also the whole experience (my hospital takes you to the resuscitation suite for treatment!). Your DS will recover, and it will probably take you much much longer, so sending you lots of love.

JessicaPeach · 18/02/2024 22:55

CatchAButterfly · 18/02/2024 22:47

My toddler DS has had many episodes of this, with several hospital stays, and my second then had it at 10 weeks old just a few weeks ago, so I have been there many many times. They have both suffered from low oxygen levels, and as PP said, temporary drops when unwell won’t leave lasting damage.

The first time I dealt with this was when DS was 7 months old, and it left me very traumatised. We have also had a number of other terrifying episodes. And then as I said, my newborn then had the same recently. It’s a very scary thing to go through as a parent, and chances are you will be traumatised at seeing your child so unwell and also the whole experience (my hospital takes you to the resuscitation suite for treatment!). Your DS will recover, and it will probably take you much much longer, so sending you lots of love.

This is so true, every time one of mine even looks like they are going to cough I start worrying. We have an a&e 'go bag' with everything in it now because we are always half expecting it

Zippedydoodahday · 18/02/2024 22:56

The only way mine would settle when we had similar happen was with me in the cot with him. So I climbed on in and cuddled up to him so he felt more settled and still and I could snooze a bit. Some hospitals can get funny about it, but I only had one nurse say anything and when I pointed out it was the only way the oxygen was staying put she rolled her eyes and left me to it.

CatchAButterfly · 18/02/2024 23:03

JessicaPeach · 18/02/2024 22:55

This is so true, every time one of mine even looks like they are going to cough I start worrying. We have an a&e 'go bag' with everything in it now because we are always half expecting it

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Yep, I get that. We have several blue inhalers in different locations together with an oximeter. And a checklist of everything to take everytime a trip to A&E is needed.

And we’re the same. Both of our hearts just drop as soon as DS gets a runny nose so you can imagine how devastated we were when our youngest ended up being admitted a few weeks ago. DH and I were just saying yesterday how we’ve become super paranoid about DS being near anyone who has a cold, that we’re now really conscious of where we take him.

Original poster

Worriedaande · 19/02/2024 01:11

Zippedydoodahday · 18/02/2024 22:56

The only way mine would settle when we had similar happen was with me in the cot with him. So I climbed on in and cuddled up to him so he felt more settled and still and I could snooze a bit. Some hospitals can get funny about it, but I only had one nurse say anything and when I pointed out it was the only way the oxygen was staying put she rolled her eyes and left me to it.

This resonates. Some are being lovely but some are making me feel like my child is the first to be in hysterical floods of tears at every nebuliser. I'm getting no sleep at all. He's either waking up and pulling the prongs out crying or they're waking him up for obs/nebuliser

OP posts:

FabFebHalfTerm · 19/02/2024 01:17

Worriedaande · 18/02/2024 22:33

He's just woken up for the 3rd time pulling the prongs out of his nose. I don't know how to sleep when he keeps rolling about and ripping them out in his sleep.

Show quote history

@Worriedaande oh poor little love. They are as irritating as all hell. I don't know if they kept slipping out or if I kept pulling them
out?!?!

but a nurse will come & sort him out.

I hope you get some sleep. Xx

OhcantthInkofaname · 19/02/2024 02:05

He needs the nebulizer solution to keep his lung passages open. Yes, its important for him to have regular treatments.

Original poster

Worriedaande · 19/02/2024 03:14

OhcantthInkofaname · 19/02/2024 02:05

He needs the nebulizer solution to keep his lung passages open. Yes, its important for him to have regular treatments.

Who are you talking to?

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FabFebHalfTerm · 19/02/2024 09:30

@Worriedaande

morning.

how are you both today??

24HoursFromTulseHill · 19/02/2024 13:51

Hi OP, I had a similar experience last week - 22 month DS taken to A&E with difficulty breathing, put on a nebulizer, oxygen & steroids.
We ended up being admitted because his blood oxygen kept dropping but eventually it stabilised with regular inhaler use and he was discharged the next day.
A week on, we've just sent him back to nursery after doing 24 hours at home with no inhaler.
It's soo scary when it happens but he's in the right place, he's getting the treatment he needs and you will get through this.
DH & I tag teamed the night in the hospital, so one of us got 4 hours rest at home and then swapped over around 2am for the second half of the night. Not sure if that's an option for you.

Original poster

Worriedaande · 20/02/2024 13:29

Thanks everyone for your kind advice. We'll be home today most likely with an inhaler for a few days. Hospital staff have been very reassuring. I know it was an unnecessary worry but the stress of it all just got to me. Son is very much on the mend and will be absolutely fine

OP posts:

Oxygen level 84%

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