Our daughter does NOT have a pulse oximeter. None of the trach-vent
children managed by Peds Pulmonary Medicine at CHW have pulse oximetry for
home care. Every decision is determined by visual/clinical assessment.
Most of the children with CCHS nationally do have both pulse oximetry and
capnometers for home use. Personally, I'd like a capnometer because
Kristen frequently retains CO2 but doesn't drop her O2 sats. Our nurses
are very good at differientating hypoxia and hypercarbia by clinical
assessment.
The CCHS families that have both monitoring systems find them to be very
reliable when compared to blood gases and/or a second monitor. Capnometers
do need to be calibrated prior to each use.
Joanne Kocourek
The University of Chicago
jskocour(AT)midway.uchicago.edu