For Patients/Families

Monitor
Machine that displays and often records the heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and blood oxygen saturation of the infant. An alarm may sound if one or a number of these vital signs are abnormal. For example, in a normal infant the heart rate is usually between 120 and 180 beats per minute and oxygen saturation ought to be above 90 percent. False alarms are common, as the baby’s abrupt movements cause the monitor to register inaccurate readings.