Anyone have any answers about RSV and blood oxygen levels?!
Question:
My baby was diagnosed on the 14th and on the 16th I took her back because of the severe weezing and irritablity, turned out she had double ear infections and they almost admitted her because her blood oxygen level was only 86 then within an hour it went up to 94 so they let her go home should I be worried it will drop again?
Answers:
RSV can be like a roller coaster ride..one day the baby seemes to be doing better and the next, the resumption of respiratory distress. Yes, you should be concerned about oxygen levels, with RSV they can go up and down as the virus is active (first 4-7 days). By chance, is your baby teething? Teething does NOT cause RSV. However, with teething there is a lot of oral seceations that the baby may have a problem handling. Make sure your baby's nose is kept clear first of all. Do not prop the bottle during feedings.the baby cannot handle the flow of propped bottle feedings and could aspirate formula. Also, there are higher statistics of ear infections when baby's receive feedings from a propped bottle, in comparisson to parents who hold the bottle for baby's feedings. Something else you can do for your baby is have your baby in a car seat or something like a car seat during sleep. A pillow under the crib mattress..not the baby's head, may help. Keeping the baby somewhat upright during sleep will help the breathing and help prevent aspiration of secreations.
If you are worried when you observe your baby's breathing.take her to the ER. I think she should have been admitted over night for observation and monitored on a pulse oximeter for 24 hours.but I have seen the worse that can happen so I believe in the benefit of 24 hour observation when the o2 sat is fluctuating, as it appears to be with your baby.
Other Answers:
RSV is a nasty nasty bug for babies which can cause damage to the lungs. Both of my sons have had RSV and been Hospitalized for it. My younger son had many drops in his o2 saturations during the night while sleeping and had to be placed on blow-by o2. I would say by now though your child is over the worse part of rsv.. now you will deal with the after effects Reactive Airway, brohnchiolis. which they both had. the lungs are filled with mucous massive amounts and that is what lowers the po2 in rsv babies. its very hard to breath with lungs full of infection
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