Home oxygen - How long did it take to come off??

Vanessa - posted on 07/01/2012

Toby initially came gone without it but very quickly needed it as we discovered he was havin horrible horrible apnea all night, so he was on it unroll he was 2 for 24 hrs a day then went down to just when asleep till he was 2yr 10 mts. Now he is 02 free but we still carry a bottle for emergency. As ge still has the odd apnea that requires resuscitation . Good luck I hope that you guys get 02 free soon. Everyone is different. Toby was born as 24 weeks and he has had a very rough ride. He now has cerebral palsy, & he is deaf. But Thanx to 2 shiny new cochlear implants he can now hear :)

Faith - posted on 07/01/2012

hey mine spend 170 days in nicu nd friday was discharged with 02 0,5 bt 2dae i remove it she is coping im jst training her she was 26 wiks nw she is 5mnth bt 2correctly

Faith - posted on 06/24/2012

my baby was born in 25wiks was at icu for 5month this week they going to discharge her with 02 home she is 5 in correct she is 3 im real warid whn she is going to be out

Kimberly - posted on 09/10/2010

About a month and a half after she came home. Pulmonary brought us in to do a room air test without oxygen but hooked up to pulsox to monitor. They will give you the green light afterwards on whether or not to 86 it. Best of luck!

Julie - posted on 06/17/2010

My 30wk'er came home on 1 liter and didn't come completely off until he was 19mos (actual).

Asha - posted on 06/17/2010

My son a 27 weeker was on O2 until he was 2 and 1/2. Each baby is different and just know that it will happen when your child is ready.

April - posted on 06/16/2010

My daughter is a former 24 weeker and came home on O2. She came off it a month before her first birthday. We were never so happy to get rid of something! Just the other day I found some of the tubing we had left and I was instantly taken back.

Catrice - posted on 06/14/2010

My son, an ex 24w'er also came home on the exact same amount and also had more than a few apnea episodes while sleeping but around 9 months he was off and did just fine, I would watch him like a hawk while he was sleeping but eventually I let down my guard and he did ok. Just give him time sometimes they need it a little longer til everything matures and they don't need it anymore :)

Kari - posted on 06/12/2010

Thanks for all the comments!! It sometimes feels like you are the only one in the boat...I keep in contact with another NICU mum who's son went home on o2,(her son and samara shared a room in NICU for three months) but he came off off last November. When we saw the resp team last sleep study the doc described her as having a unique sleep pattern! She shallow breathes and takes long pauses in breathing. I can tell even myself when she falls asleep in my arms that she is not ready to come off.

Chandra - posted on 06/12/2010

It depends on the child. My 4yr old was a 25 weeker and he came home on 1/4 of a liter of oxygen. He began to only use it at night when he was 15 months and he was off of the oxygen completely by 24 months. The oxygen is a healer. It helps many things within the body to heal. So, from a health standpoint the longer your child is on oxygen, the better their health will be. If you have a pulse ox, you may want to try testing your child to see how they respond without the oygen. I would start trying it during the day. That's what my husband and I did.

The possible downside to using the oxygen, is you have to make sure you continue to see an eye doctor to be sure that there has been no damage to their eyes as a result of prolonged oxygen use. I am grateful to say that my son has not had any eye issues and he continues to see his eye doctor annually.

Vanessa - posted on 06/12/2010

My bub is still on, he was born at 24 weeks and initially come home off 02 but had huge apnoeas, he was put back on o2 after 2 months of being at home and is now still on it 0.25l and he is 12 mts 8 mths corrected.

Sarah-Jane - posted on 06/11/2010

My little girl was ex 25weeker, and she was on home oxy from march till sept.. and every now and then we have to go back on now (feb-may) due to her getting colds and her chronic lung disease flaring up. If your girl went home on oxy due to chronic lung disease or BPD, then just be wary when winter comes along when she is off, because my little one (now 18months) as soon as she gets a sniffle i know i'm back in PMH for a week with her on oxy and ventolin due to "viral wheezes" and home for another on home oxy.
She also failed her first sleep test also due to sleep apnoeas, and that is usually the reason why she goes home on oxy after each "viral wheeze" episode. They just eventually grow there lungs enough when there ready, and if there respiratory team isn't that concerned about her progress, i wouldn't be either. and that day you get to take her home from the appointment when they say she's all clear will be one of the best days of your life

Ashley - posted on 06/10/2010

It just depends on the child, and how well they are doing!

Ashley - posted on 06/10/2010

My one boy came home with nothing, and the other came home with a feeding tube. He ended up getting a cyst under his vocal cord caused by probably the feeding tube, irritation. Then we were in the hospital for 2 weeks, 3 months after discharged from NICU. They thought it was a cold but it was the cyst and we ended up going home with oxygen. He was .5, and it took him about 4 months to be completely off. The biggest problem was the sleep apneas. Some babies just need that little extra push of oxygen, and some get off it quickly.

Aimee - posted on 06/09/2010

My daughter was born at 27.5 wks. She went home on 1/8 liter for 6 months. After her PDA was ligated we were able to wean her from the oxygen completely. At age 2.5, she went back on oxygen at night when she was sick (which is wkly or bi-wkly). She is now 4 and still requires oxygen when she is sick Sept-May every year. She has hypoxemia, BPD, rare form of asthma, and reactive airway disease. From what I have been told, my daughter may get better when she hits puberty. But she may never get better. Her lung specialist said most preemies get better by age 3 or 5....but he isn't sure is my daughter will because she got worse. She is considered medically disabled due to her lung problems & oxygen needs. What does your dr say? I still have hope my daughter will improve over the next few years. Hang in there. Apnea is scary. Does your daugther still sleep with an apnea monitor or pulse oximeter?

Lisa - posted on 06/09/2010

My 24 weeker was on oxygen for a few months (about 3) after he came home. He was on his apnea and pulse ox monitors for a few extra months. It does absolutely depend on the child.

He's now 2, and with the exception of asthma triggered by upper respiratory infections, is completely healthy and developmentally on target.

Meliza - posted on 06/08/2010

it depends, mine came home with it and she was totally off it by age 1.

Chandra - posted on 06/08/2010

My son was a 26weeker and came home on O2 Feb 18th 2009 after 3 months in the NICU he did come home about 2 weeks before his due date He was off the O2 at the end of April and he wasnt on very much at all. I was told he would be on if for at least 6 months but he wasnt. I truely believe it varies from child to child. I hope all goes well with your lil one. Ann's right once its gone you dont think about it again.

Ann - posted on 06/07/2010

both my daughters came home on oxygen and were off before their 1st birthday. The funny thing is for as long as it was here and the pain it was. once it was gone, it was easy to put out of our minds and move on with life. I hope the same is true for you

Jolene - posted on 06/05/2010

My son a 27 wkr, is still on it, he is 10 months old 7(corrected) he is able to come off while awake, we do a overnight study next week. I have a friend with a ex 24 weeker she is now 4 and still needs it to sleep. I think every baby is so.... different, but I cannot wait for the day to be rid of it.

Julie - posted on 06/04/2010

My son, a 26w + 5d came home on O2 when he was 4 months, actual age. He was only on it an additional 4 months after he came home. (off ~7 months actual age)

I think it varies greatly by child, we saw a 3 year old on O2 at the lung center when we went in for check up.

I am sure you cannot wait to have it be gone, but at least it is only for sleeping now. I hope she's off it soon, but I know once she is, you will look back and it will suddenly seem far away.

Rebecca - posted on 06/04/2010

It all depends on the child. I had 2 that came home on O2. One only needed it a few months, the other was on it almost a year. My cousins 26 weeker was on it until she was over 2.