introducting vest to toddlers

[CFTwins]

Hi All,

We're getting vests next week and I'm wondering what process you used to aclamate the kids to their vests. I'm assuming the RT Hill Rom sends will have some advice... but I wanted some advice from the real experts.

My twins are 15-months and our PT at the CF Center has never used them on kids that young and small...so she said, "maybe you should go online!" I guess I'll print your responses for her!

Thanks in advance.

Stacy

 

[izemmom]

I have no advice to offer - sorry! But I just had to respond becasue I was excited to read that they're getting vests at 15 months. I thought kids had to be older than that! I had visions of waiting until Emly was 3 or 4 to try to get one! Fifteen months?!? Whoo-hoo! I'll be printing the responses you get, too, to file away for later! Good luck!

 

[anonymous]

Stacey,

My daugher now 3 1/2 got her vest when she was 2 1/2. Just take it slow. First, we tried it on in clinic and turned it on the lowest settings. There she was afraid of it so we turned it off. We got the vest a home and we made it seem like we were so excited to get the vest. My son who is 7 was VERY curious wanted to touch all the buttons and play with the tubes. We let my son (no CF) and daughter play with the equipment first.

We put what ever video on she wanted and put it on again lowest settings and she seemd ok with it. I even tried the vest on and turned it on(I think all parents should be made to do this) and Maggie thought that was so funny.

The vest came with a video. In the video there is a girl (about 4 with CF) shows her doing the vest and singing and making funny animal noises. It lasts about 2 minutes, my daughter when we first started the vest made me play that scene over and over again. SHe said"she's just like me!"

Your kids have each other. Maybe the one who is more willing to try new thngs can go first? Let them know how proud you are of them for trying this new thing. try to make it positive. They are younger than Maggie was just take it slow.

Good luck,
Rebecca(mom to Sammy almost 8 no CF and MAggie 3 1/2 with CF)

 

[anonymous]

My son started using the vest at just shy of his 3rd birthday. Our approach was similar to Rebecca's - focus on making it non-threatening or even fun and don't worry about adhering to settings or time or frequency at first. We named it the "jiggle-jacket" and let our son operate it via the foot pedal so he could turn it on/off at will. We played games making funny noises while it is running since the vibrations come through in his voice. After a couple months he was up to using it at the prescribed settings/times though there are days when it just does not happen for one reason or another - we don't sweat it much. Also, we still do manual CPT whenever we get the chance, like when he sounds like he needs to cough we'll give him a minute of whacks.

 

[reillybug]

Like Rebecca said, take it slow. When Reilly got hers, (she was 27 months) I let her watch the video that came with it, then let her wear just the vest for a little while without hooking it up. Then, I added the tubes, and then plugged it all in together. The first time she did it it terrified her, but we did it is short increments until she got used to it. I also used the lowest possible settings and gradually worked them up. Now, she is a champ and does it without any problems. She does get to watch her movies while she is doing her treatments, and reads books. It is her time, since she is the one stuck to the machine. Good luck!

 

[MOME2RT]

Reece got his vest when he was just over a year.....he adjusted well to it. All we really did was when the lady from the Vest Co. came by to show us how it worked...we put it on Reece & he didnt mind it at all. When she left we let him wear the vest around the house & push the buttons.....when it was time to use it...we put in a DVD or played with certain toys only at "vest time"....the smallest vest they had didnt fit him so the Vest Co. custom made him one to fit....plus we got to keep the one they sent with the vest the first time.

 

[anonymous]

my daughter got hers at 15 months and she loved it.we play game with her and her sisters help sometimes.she say we going to sake her.read to her,play with her,blocks are very good for it.she doesn't like to watch tv.when the 20 minutes are up she say all done.
if you have more questions let me know.
patty
pgrainger@prodigy.net

 

[julie]

I'm not a parent, but from other vest stories I've heard on here, parents seem to try and make it a special time.

Like, you let them watch select "vest" videos (their favorites of course) while they are doing the treatment. When they are done (if they did the whole vest time) they get a special treat (not necessairly sweet, but a special treat that they can relate to the vest).
Also, I know some parents have had older sibilings model the vest to make the younger ones interested in using it. If you don't have an older child, maybe try to squeeze into that sucker and do some funny things while wearing it so the kids think it is cool.

Just a few ideas

 

[CFTwins]

Thanks everybody! It sounds like from our little poll that younger ones might accept it a little more quickly than older-toddlers who don't like change much anyway. I'll hope for the best and keep all of your patience in mind.

Leah -- how did you get them to work with you on the smaller vest? Our son is just over 19 inches and so he technically is big enough for the xs vest - but our daughter is only 18 inches... so I've been wondering if we'll just have to wait for her to grow of if there's another suggestion. Glad to hear that they worked with you!

Thanks, Stacy

 

[MOME2RT]

Stacy,
We used the xs vest for about a month. The Vest Co. called for their rountine check up calls to ask how things were going...I then told them that the vest seemed too big & was there something I could do. Thats when she told me about them sending a "custom" fit vest. I dont remember what size his chest was.

 

[HelpCureCF]

My daughter is 19 months old and got the vest a month ago.... I told the vest company that I wanted them to send it to me first (they wanted to bring it the day of training..) I wanted it in the house for a few days to get her used to it...first we put it on her cabbage patch doll....then another doll...then we put it on her without the tubes...and let her run around with it...the day the lady came to train us...she was very comfortable with wearing it....until she turned it on...she immediatly cried...and we took it off her right away...I was so worried that we were gonna have a problem with it...BUT...the very next day we tried it without the lady there...our goal was to try and hit 1 minute....WELL....she did the whole 20 miniutes...and when it was finished she appaulded and said "yaaaayyy" (which she does after every single treatment ?!?!?) We have her sit on our lap and watch Little Einsteins.....We are pleasantly surprised with how she took to it.. Good luck !! Take your time getting them used to it....I think it's so important not to force it on them....they should be given plenty of time to get used to it so that they aren't afraid of it..............

 

[JRPandTJP]

Ben is due to get his vest this week as well! He tried it at the clinic and he seemed so relaxed while it was on. It was funny to see his little cheeks just bouncing away and he was just starring off like it was a spa treatment or something. It should be interesting to get it in our home and see how he does. He already sits for GSH treatments/nebulizer so hopefully that will help. Helpfindacure...sounds like your little one took right to it...good advice...we watch Elmo's world during ours. He just turned 2. I was excited to get the vest and not have to do hand CPT. Good luck with your twins Stacy.

Jody

 

[CFTwins]

Hi All --

Thanks so much for the advice. I think that I used all of it. We started using the vest on Tuesday and it's going GREAT! They fussed for about 1 minute each when we turned it on and now they hardly seem to notice. The RT they sent was really good with the kids so that helped.

Today, I was in the middle of talking to Dell about my (crappy) new computer and didn't want to end the call (that I waited on hold for 30 minutes). So, I just took the chance and started the treatment without to holding them on my lap and they sat on the floor for 20 minutes each, watched a video - no problem! I hope we can turn the settings up a little next week.

I'm sooooooooooooooo excited. We're going to keep doing manual CPT so none of us get out of practice, but it seems like a mini-miracle to get two hours back each day! Maybe I'll even put the laundry away now!

FYI - for people asking about size -- Maren measured chest circumfrence of 18 inches and she's 17.5 pounds and Berne measured 19 inches 21 pounds.

Have a good weekend everybody. - Stacy