My mom sometimes uses a device that attaches to my fingertip
to measure my oxygen saturation levels.
Do a lot of other families use these devices
and are they reliable?
Great question. The device your mom is using is
called a pulse oximeter.
It measures the oxygen saturation levels in your blood
and medical grade versions are very common in acute care
settings like CHEO
to assess the severity of breathing problems.
Inexpensive consumer grade oximeters can be purchased easily
online or at pharmacies and some smart phones
and smart watches even have oximeters
integrated right into them.
At CHEO, we designed a research study to find out
how common these devices were
and how parents were interpreting the results.
We surveyed 200 participants in the respirology
and cardiology clinics at CHEO
and a sample from the gastroenterology clinic.
Of the 200 participants, 53 had oximeters at home and all
but 10 bought them online or at a pharmacy.
Most families who owned an oximeter used it when they were
acutely worried about the child's health.
Some used it every day.
The families we surveyed had different ideas of
what they considered a normal ox oxygen saturation level
to be and
what level will make them worried about the child's health.
Some looked at a range of readings while others
looked at a single reading.
There were also varying approaches as
to when an oximeter reading would prompt a visit
to the emergency department or seeking further care.
Overall trust in these devices seemed inappropriately high
with nearly half of the respondents believing the device
was very accurate.
This is especially concerning for the parents of babies.
As a previous CHEO research study revealed
that some exhibitors marketed
for pediatric use online were not very accurate, especially
for babies under the age of one with nearly one third
of families surveyed having an oximeter at home.
We know these devices are pretty common.
Asking whether families have an oximeter should become a
routine question for pediatric healthcare providers.
Parents and caregivers shouldn't be discouraged from using
these devices, but they should be offered education on how
to use and interpret the results and when to consult.
CHEO's online resources
to determine if the child needs emergency care.
If you have your own oximeter
and your child is seeing a healthcare professional,
bring the device with you so you can compare it
with a medical grade device.