Oxygen Therapy in Infants

Mechanism and Function

The American Thoracic Society recommends oxygen hoods for delivering high concentrations of oxygen to infants, with the ability to achieve FiO2 levels greater than 0.80 1, 2
Oxygen hoods allow for humidification of oxygen, which is recommended for flow rates above 1 L/min, as suggested by the American College of Chest Physicians 3

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends oxygen hoods for neonates and infants with chronic lung disease of infancy (CLDI) or bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) 1, 3
Oxygen hoods provide a means to deliver precise oxygen concentrations while allowing for feeding and handling, as recommended by the American Thoracic Society 2
The American College of Chest Physicians suggests that oxygen hoods are often used in hospital settings before transitioning to home oxygen therapy with nasal cannulas 3

The American Heart Association recommends maintaining oxygen saturation between 90-95% to promote growth and lung development, reduce pulmonary artery pressure and vascular resistance, and decrease the frequency of central apnea 1, 2
Maintaining adequate oxygenation can reduce the risk of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy, as suggested by the American Thoracic Society 2

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends transitioning infants from oxygen hood to nasal cannula before going home, with careful monitoring of oxygen saturation during different activities 3, 2
Nasal cannulas at flow rates of 0.25 to 3 L/min can achieve similar pulmonary artery pressure reductions as hood oxygen therapy with FiO2 greater than 0.80, as recommended by the American College of Cardiology 2

The American Thoracic Society recommends pulse oximetry as the primary method for monitoring effectiveness of oxygen therapy 3
The American Academy of Pediatrics defines hypoxemia as SpO2 ≤90% for ≥5% of recording time or three separate measurements in infants younger than 1 year 4
Multiple determinations should be made during rest, sleep, feeding, and high activity to ensure adequate oxygenation across all states, as suggested by the American College of Chest Physicians 2