In plain words
A car seat tolerance screen is a short test in which a baby sits in a while staff watch the heart rate, breathing, and oxygen level. It is done for babies born early and for babies with some other health concerns. The usual length is 90 to 120 minutes, or about as long as the planned trip home. The test checks whether the baby's body handles sitting upright without breathing or heart problems. Babies who do not pass may stay in the hospital longer, or may need a different seat or position for the ride home. Many families hear about the screen during a NICU stay. Some babies pass with no problems, and others need more time to grow before they sit upright.
The deeper version
The AAP clinical report on safe transportation of preterm and low birth weight infants at hospital discharge (Bull and Engle, Pediatrics, 2009) recommends a car seat tolerance screen for infants born before 37 weeks and for others at risk of cardiorespiratory compromise, including , micrognathia, and congenital heart disease. Observation in the family's own seat lasts 90 to 120 minutes or the duration of the planned trip. Failure is defined by over 20 seconds, under 80 beats per minute, or oxygen saturation under 90 percent for a sustained interval, thresholds that vary by institution. Infants who fail may be assessed in a supine car bed. Protocols are not fully standardized, and outcome data are limited.
Where it comes up
- Car seat: choosing, installing, getting it checkedGetting Ready for Birth
- Car seat safety day to dayBaby Basics
- When your baby is in the NICUBirth and the First Days
- Going home: the car ride and the first eveningBirth and the First Days
- Newborn breathing, congestion, and the noseBaby Basics
What mothers here say about car seat tolerance screen
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Sources
- Bull MJ, Engle WA, and the AAP Committee on Fetus and Newborn — Safe transportation of preterm and low birth weight infants at hospital discharge. Pediatrics, 2009