ALTITUDE SIMULATION OR HYPOXIC CHALLENGE

ALTITUDE SIMULATION OR HYPOXIC CHALLENGE is a test to measure how your child responds to a low oxygen environment. The purpose of this test is to measure how well your child’s lungs work and can help predict how your child would do in "thinner air" of high altitude or in an airplane.

Your child will be allowed to rest with a clear hood or tent over your child’s upper body. An expert technician will place air with less than normal oxygen levels in this hood or tent. We will monitor your child’s response by measuring your child’s heart rate, respiratory rate, breathing pattern, oxygen saturation. Your child MAY be given sedation help your child sleep and cooperate for the test.

No. If your child feels uncomfortable because your child’s oxygen level drops below normal, this will be monitored and if needed, the test will be stopped right away.

Yes. There are no risks from performing this test.

There are some risks with sedation such as allergic reactions to sedation medicine or becoming too sleepy with medication. Your child will be monitored carefully for potential problems.

In general, the doctor referring you for the test will already have arranged for authorization for your test by your insurance company. But it is your responsibility to have authorization before the test. Be sure to talk with the pulmonary office and confirm that the authorization is completed.

Register for the test at the hospital registration area 1 hour before the test is scheduled.

For Children’s Hospital Oakland, go to the Sleep Laboratory on the 2ND Floor of Main Hospital, 747 52nd St., Oakland, CA.

For California Pacific Medical Center, go to the Pediatric ICU on the 3rd Floor of Pacific Campus at Buchanan and Clay Streets. The hospital is at 2333 Buchanan Street, San Francisco.

The test itself will take about 4 hours. However, when you add parking, registration and instruction time, you should allow at least 6 hours for the entire test.

Normal clothing is fine.

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, do NOT use these medications: Xopenex and Duoneve for 12 hours prior to test.

NO. Because your child may need medication to help your child sleep, your child should not eat. Please follow the following schedule:
Children over 1 year of age
Nothing to eat or drink from midnight before the test.
Children under 1 year of age
No breast milk 4 hours before test.
No clear liquids (any you can see through) 4 hours before test.
No solids (cow or soy milk) 8 hours before tests.

Your child MAY be receive SEDATION to help your child sleep quietly for the test. Chloral hydrate is typically used. Sometimes, IV medications are used.

To help your child sleep for the test, please SLEEP DEPRIVE YOUR CHILD by putting your child to bed later than usual AND by waking your child up early. A child who is already tired will need less medication for sedation.

Your child may be dizzy, sleepy, or nauseated because of the sedation. Your child may drink clear fluids after waking fully. Move to regular diet as tolerated.

NO. This test is usually used to measure how you are doing on a regular day. If you are sick, the test will need to be cancelled—unless your doctor says you should still do the test. Please call the lab as soon as you think you will not be able to do the test. We will need to reschedule the test.

Notify the office (510-428-3305) AND the pulmonary function lab (CHO 510-428-3000 x5098; CPMC 415-428-3995) ASAP. If your child needs to have the test cancelled or rescheduled, we need to know ASAP so that we can allow another child to get tested.

If you need to cancel the test the weekend or night before the scheduled test, please call the pulmonologist on-call at 510-428-3000 and notify the doctor that they must contact the PFT lab ASAP.

If you cancel without a valid reason, with less than 24 hours notice, you will be charged a fee.

A copy of the results will be sent to your regular doctor and any specialist who referred you for the test. Your doctors should have the results of the test within 2 weeks of the test.

Your doctor needs to take into account the results of the tests and other information about your condition. You should discuss the results of the tests with your doctor.

This will be up to you and your doctor.