Editor—I am glad to have a chance to respond to Dr Roberton's assertion that the care of the babies nursed using oximeter settings of 70–90% was “negligent”, since I was responsible for these children, but time and space does not allow a full response. Neither does space allow me to respond to the criticism implicit in your own introductory statement that such care “breaches BAPM guidelines”.

Dr Roberton says the cerebral palsy rate is “irrelevant”, but parents might not agree. Parents might also be glad that, while 4 children monitored using an oximeter alarm set at 88–98% went blind, no child in the other group went blind. They might also be glad that half were off the ventilator in 7 rather than 22 days, and out of …