Oxygen Therapy for Sepsis in Children

Babies and children with sepsis often have difficulty breathing, a condition called respiratory distress. Doctors at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone may use a mechanical ventilator, a machine that pumps oxygen into your child’s lungs through a thin tube that is inserted through the trachea, which is also called the windpipe. Oxygen from a ventilator can also be given through a mask that covers the nose.

Our neonatal and pediatric intensivists—doctors who specialize in providing critical care—regularly monitor your child’s oxygen level using pulse oximetry and physical exams.

As your child recovers from sepsis, the ventilator may be removed. Supplemental oxygen may be delivered through a nasal cannula, a small, flexible tube that is placed in the nostrils and attached to an oxygen tank, while your child remains in the hospital.

Oxygen therapy may be continued until your child can breathe easily on his or her own. Your child’s doctor determines when oxygen levels have returned to normal.