The aim of our our pulse oximetry appeal, Test for Tommy, is simple: we believe every newborn baby deserves the test that could help save their life.
A pulse oximetry test is a quick, painless check on the level of oxygen in a baby’s blood (also known as a SATS test). A low reading could indicate that a baby has a heart or other condition. Not all babies with heart defects are born showing signs and symptoms – if a baby does have a heart defect that was not spotted during pregnancy, it’s crucial for it to be picked up before they leave hospital. Babies who leave hospital with no-one knowing they have a serious heart condition are in grave danger. Sadly, some won’t receive the treatment they need in time for it to save them.
Pulse oximetry screening is not part of mandatory NHS newborn checks. We believe every baby should receive this test, which is why we lobby for it to become compulsory and why we place pulse oximetry machines in maternity wards all over the UK.
We recently placed our 500th machine, meaning thousands of babies every year are receiving a pulse oximetry test on a Tiny Tickers funded machine.
We’re proud of what we’ve achieved, and so grateful to everyone who has made this possible, but we won’t stop until every newborn baby is receiving this vital test.
Find out more about our pulse oximetry appeal, Test for Tommy, here.
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