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Chest Physical Therapy in Infant
- Thread starter anonymous
- Start date
Baby Einstien video's worked with our son when we did chest PT. It may take some time for him to get used to it and for him to accept it as part of his daily routine. Remember when he does cry in chest PT he is actually helping move some of the mucous out. I wish you the best!
AbsintheSorrow
New member
Every kid hates it at some point or another. It's no fun being tied down to any kind of medicines or therapies, especially when you're a kid. I'm sure it took a lot to get me used to it too when I was little. Try TV or music, anything fun the kid can pay attention to while you're beating on him. Also, when a kid is younger, I think I would be right in saying it feels like punishment. No other kids have to go through this stuff, and technically, you are hitting him/her. Heh. I know it sounds harsh, but he/she will get used to it eventually. *shrug*
I am going through the same thing with my nine-month old son. I also have a three-year old daughter with cf. Sophia, however, was an angel as a baby when we did her treatments. The only thing that works for my son is turning up the volume on the baby Einstein videos. It also helps to do my son's treatments about 9 or 10 at night after he is asleep. He will either stay asleep during the treatment or not fight me as he watches the video. Don't worry life gets MUCH better when they receive the vest!Sharon
Hey everyone, we don't have the option of the vest, but I can say that keeping ONE thing specific to the chest therapy.. such as a specific song or like everyone else ..baby einstein, however, the only other root for my daughter and I was "NO" is not an option. We have to do it period. My daughter within the first week or two, started falling asleep during PT time. To this day, she will fall asleep if I do it hard enough, and she is four yrs. old. I used to say ' time for telletubies" and she would lay on her stomach and watch those stupid things dance around.good luck, and don't be so nice, just do it. I meen who is the parent, this is not an open debate.
I am the mom of the nine-month old who will not cooperate for treatments. I agree with your statement that treatments are not open for debate and "no" is not an option. My nine-month old tends to disagree with that statement, however. He has been receiving treatments since he was a month old. You would think that he would have given up by now and stopped crawling away and crying for the whole twenty minutes twice a day. I am not sure what he thinks he is trying to accomplish, as I have never skipped or cut short a treatment. I just haven't done as good of a job as I could have if he would just calm down. On the other hand, he does like to feed himself and eats well. A blessing!! I will take battling him over treatments any day over forcing food. Sharon, mom to Sophia, three in July (compliant with treatments but doesn't like to eat) and Jack, 9 months both with cf and both blessings
AbsintheSorrow
New member
You're right, it's not an open debate, and some day the child will understand why you're doing it. But in the meantime, the child does not understand why you're doing it. The child just understands that you're hitting him/her and he/she doesn't see other children getting the same treatment. And this seems unfair. So you're right, no isn't an option. But think of it from the child's view, and try to be nice about it. Maybe everytime you have to do chest PT, offer fruit snacks, or candy, or some favorite food of the child. Make it a reward deal. my mom used to bribe me when it came to getting my flu shot. Every year, we'd go to Toys R Us after my appointment and get me a new doll or stuffed animal. It doesn't have to go that far, especially when PT is a daily routine, but I'd say try a favorite food or snack.
Marylou, My son is 3 and he has been getting chest pt since he was 3 weeks old, he still puts up a fight and wiggles around and cries most of the time. He has to have it 2 times a day up tp 4 if he's getting an increase in his cough. I have found 2 different things that seem to distract him long enough to get it done, his favorite video which he only gets to watch during Chest PT(Shrek or Scooby Doo right now) and we try to give him his breathing treatments at the same time to cut done on the time needed for him to stay semi-still, and I often do it after he has fallen asleep rarely does he wake up. Hang in there!<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif" border="0"> He also loved the Baby Einstein and Wiggles videos when he was younger. You sound like an excellent Mom to Dylan. God Bless.Donna Mom to Mikey 3 w/ CF <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif" border="0"> and Hannah 5 w/o CF <img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">
It is so hard, and very stressful for you when they don't want to co-operate for some of their treatments.I also just went out and bought a whole lot of Baby Einstein series of videos.They have worked a treat, but you always have those times when they are just not in the mood to be still.I have done physio with Matthew screaming and it has been really stressful, especially when you are trying hard to get the treatments done properly.Unfortuately all you can do is get tough and say I'm sorry but it has to be done and let them scream.I hated it, but what choice do you have?I feel like such a cow when I say no, especially if we are trying to keep the nebulizer mask on his face, or we are both holding him down!I am sure the nextdoor neighbours have wondered what the hecks going on!Best of luck to you!and I know how difficult it is, but you will get there!RebekahMother to Matt 12mths w/CF
Hi,My daughter is now 5 & 1/2 and has a vest (we only have to struggle about half of the time to get her in it) but i remember so well the days of needing my hubby to help me do PT because I needed someone to hold her down while I did the percussion. Rachel was dx'd at 9 months so, it was hard to get her used to suddenly being pounded on for such a long time. She was also very active and was already taking a few steps on her own, so, to her, we were really slowing her down by making her stay still for so long. We used tomake up silly songs and sing them to her when we had to do PT. We also used TV and videos to distract her. Have you tried any alternatives to standard PT? I am not sure how big your babies are but with older kids they say jumping on the trampoline is a great alternative to pt. I was thinking that one of those baby jumpers might be good in the same way. (you hang them in the doorway and the baby jumps up and down, now they make them similar to swings too, so you don't even need a doorway.) Also, the bouncer seats and feeding/rocking chairs that vibrate to soothe the baby might help them move the mucus too. (Rachel used to sit in hers to get her neb treatments all the time) The seats might not end the need for PT but they might reduce the time that you have to put in, so, maybe it would be over more quickly and it would be a bit less stressful. I would ask about it at clinic. Someone there should be able to help you with it or refer you to someone who can. PT is no fun to begin with but when baby is struggling and we are getting stressed, it is so much harder.Andrea
hey Andrea, you are so right!! Hats off to you for helping us remember. Luckily my daughter who is four was diagnosed at birth, has never had any major problem with her lungs. She takes the occasional puffer and is on pediapred often enough, she still has never had to take an nimbulizer and such. However, I am the one who doesn't take "no' for an answer and yes, because she is so healthy and(fat) I might add, I often don't do PT, well, on a regular basis anyway. But I do have her, like Andrea mentioned in other things, such as gymnastics(trampoline), the bouncing ball with the ears like handles(bounces) up and down, this is a good one, however she did bounce into the T.V. and got two stitches, so do be careful with this one, miniature trampoline at home and my three year old uses it as well. She loves getting her back pounded still and if it was up to her she'd have it done all day long. I don't have that much time, however, and don't get me wrong, keeping her fat and healthy is a hard job and stressful, I just don't give up, and be nice YES, but be RIGHT. Whatever it takes to keep them healthy now, they will be more than thankful later when they are old enough to appreciate what you have done for them. My daughter is more then 98% over her goal weight but eventually she will need that extra fat to over come her illness. So I put alot of pressure on her to do what needs to be done and eat everything she is told too.PS my son who is only 12 mths younger, is also trained in helping, he brings her enzymes when sharing a snack a pats her on the back when she coughs. gees I'm lucky.
Oh Yeah!Rachel has one of those balls too. In some stores they are called "hop balls" or hoppers" Rachel doesn't use hers as much now that she has her mini trampoline, but she started on the hop ball at about 2 yrs old. The respiratory therapist actually recomended the hop ball to us the last time that Rachel was an in patien t (more than 3 yrs ago!)Andrea
Hey Andrea, Rachel and baby on the way, the hop ball (thank you) didn't remember what they were called. My daughter did bounce so happily too, right into the T.V. a deep cut but she was very brave. I find that too, with the trampoline and such, that they work their cardio, build muscle tone, clear the lungs and stuff. With another on the way, you can appreciate the other sources of therapy. Good for you, and pass the word around for those with little ones, their are other meens of therapy that could be very effective and fun at the same time. Unless, their is a major problem with the lungs I feel that, any kind of bouncing, rubbing, massages, jumping and wrestling or even bouncing on the knees is helpful. Keep it in mind and good luck.
I would love to know more about the vest.In New Zealand which is about the size of some states in the US it isn't available.I would really like to find out more about it, as it would be nice to cut down some of the workload for us as he gets bigger.He is the height of a 2 year old and I am still not allowed a wedge!Does anyone know what the name is of the company that distributes it?We don't have a system like over there so we would have to pay for it ourselves.ThanksRebekahMother to Matt 12mths w/CF
Hi I am the Mother of Matthew 2wcf from Australia. Matthew has always had issues with his Physio, but trying it at different times of the day may help. Something like a teething rusk may help at his age. Also I found the Wiggles and Hi5 (not sure if you get it there) an absolute saviour.Good luck.Cassie.<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
The vest has a range of prices, depending on what one you get. The price is more like $16 thousand though. Rachel's insurance covered it, so we were very lucky. You can go to www.thevest.com or to look at that brand or the one that we have is by a company called Electromed. I think that site is www.electromed-usa.com (but if not just search ElectroMed and MedPulse vest)Rachel had several near misses with the hop ball and the TV too. When she was little I found it better to sit with her on the floor and actually help her controll the ball by keeping my hands on it, that way she didn't get too close to the tv.Rachel also loved to watch "baby rock" while getting PT. It is a really old video. It shows kids playing and having fun with their parents with a oldies kind of soundtrack. I really think that anything thatcan keep their attention long enough for us to do what we have to do is good. Even now, Rachel likes to watch a certain videos when getting vest and nebs. She loves "Matilda" and it seems to be the one she always wants to watch during vest time.............Andrea