Home Care Tips For Ventilator Dependent Children

Posted on: 8 May 2017

If you have an infant or child that is dependent on a ventilator for breathing, there is a good chance that you will do whatever you can to make sure that he or she is able to thrive. This can be frustrating because the level of medical care that your child needs might be more than you are able to provide on your own. However, you also want to make sure that your child is able to stay in your home so that you can bond with him or her. Here are some tips for caring for ventilator dependent children in your home.

1. Set Up Professional Home Care

Your first step is to contact your insurance company and see if your child qualifies for home care for his or her particular condition. There is a good chance that your child qualifies for child nurse services. A home care specialist, especially for ventilator dependent children, will be able to manage your child's feedings and ventilator maintenance. Because children are developing and need social stimulation in order to ensure that the development goes according to plan, the nurse will also supervise your child when he or she goes to daycare or nursery school. Finally, your nurse can take your child to doctor's appointments and teleconference with the doctors to ensure that your child is getting the care that he or she needs. You will likely need to have an independent examiner look at your child to determine if he or she qualifies for home care benefits.

2. Humanize the Ventilator

The problem that many people have is coping with being connected to a machine or seeing their child depend on a machine. This is a hard thought to get around. Try to consider the ventilator as a tool that your child needs to get through his or her life. Humanize the ventilator as much as you can without undermining its technical function. Attach googly eyes to it. Put stickers on it. Paint glitter onto it. Allow your child to help you decorate and humanize the ventilator.

3. Get Family Counseling

Finally, be sure that you are getting counseling on your own or for your family in order to make sure that you are managing the stress of being a parent and a nurse. This will help you avoid neglecting your other children or your marriage. This can make it easier to get through this situation.

For more information, talk to a company that specializes in child nurse services. For more information, contact companies like Kitsap Children's Clinic LLP.

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