7.2.2 Oxygen Saturation Levels
Oxygen Saturation levels in healthy infants are similar to adults.
Typically, you will see Oxygen Saturation levels over 90% no matter what activity a baby is doing. Oxygen Saturation levels can vary
slightly (within 5%) of the infant’s baseline. Infants at high altitude may have slightly lower Oxygen Saturation levels than at sea level,
but should still be higher than 90%. Readings from Dream Sock should only be used as an estimate of blood Oxygen Saturation.
After you set up Dream Sock and connect the Owlet Dream App, it is good to get to know the baby’s typical Oxygen Saturation
levels. Dream Sock will notify if the Oxygen Saturation level falls to 80% or below.
However, there may be times when an infant has an Oxygen Saturation level less than 90% but does not yet reach the notification
limit of 80%.
The most common reason for this to happen is when a baby is getting sick with a virus that affects their breathing. An observation of
an Oxygen Saturation level between 80 and 90% which lasts for more than a few seconds at a time is a reason to check on the baby
for signs of breathing difficulty, including nasal congestion, fast or labored breathing, and wheezing.
Things to check for may include:
-Color of the infant’s lips (are they pink or blue?)
-Breathing (fast or labored?)
-Alertness level (i.e. does the baby respond to your voice or touch?)
-Temperature (does the baby feel hot to touch?)
Even if you have not received a notification, if you have concerns about the child’s health, it is advisable to contact the child’s
healthcare provider.
Consider accuracy limitations when using Dream Sock. For example, a reported Oxygen Saturation value of 90% may represent an
arterial blood saturation of 87 - 93%. Pulse oximeters tend to be less accurate when Oxygen Saturations are less than 80%, at
lower levels of perfusion, and during periods of weak or noisy signals. Be aware that multiple factors can affect the accuracy of
readings. Review Factors that may affect performance and accuracy in Section 15.6 for additional information.
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