FEV 1 TEST FOR DAMIEN

[dyza]

My sons nurse was at the house yesterday so I took the opportuinity to get an explanation from her about the infant test. Its pretty much how it has been explained in this tread, she will show me the machine when we are next at clinic.
She did say that here in Scotland ,that they don't normally do lung function tests until they are 6 years old, but she assures me that the figure that they get for infants using the machine is very acurate.

 

[Diana]

Up until this point they have really been in the research phase of using the equipment as even though they had the equipment, they didn't have the data to establish what the figures meant. It would be pointless to compare a babies figures with that of an older child or adult so they have used the equipment over the years to gather information from CFer's, asthmatics and healthy children. They believe they now have concrete data to assist them in their medical findings.

The results are perhaps much more accurate than those of a young child doing their PFT's as there is no personal interference by the patient. The machines cause the air to be forced out and as the baby is asleep they do not resist.

I think that it is probably not an essential test in most cases which is why some CF centres might not perform it but it certainly gives you peace of mind. Even if the results are not great, at least you know how everything is going. I am certainly very happy that our CF centre in Western Australia seem to do all the tests in use that I am aware of. It makes me feel a bit more in control....as silly as that sounds!