Should parents perform pulsation at home for children?

The article was professionally consulted by MSc Duong Van Sy - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology, Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Respiratory tract infection is a common disease in children that causes the nose, pharynx and throat of the child to swell and produce viscous sputum. If not supported to remove and expel, viscous sputum will stagnate, causing infection, causing children to refuse to eat, vomiting, difficulty breathing, wheezing with symptoms of cough and fever. According to research, more than 30-40% of children have at least one respiratory infection in their life.
Currently, respiratory physiotherapy, also known as the technique of vibrating and loosening phlegm, is one of the most effective methods of treating respiratory infections. However, should parents perform pulsation at home for children?

A physical method, either manually by the technician, or by an instrument, or both, to help improve the efficiency of breathing, to help the lungs to expand better, to strengthen the respiratory muscles, and to eliminate, eliminate secretions, viscous sputum from the respiratory tract.
Vibrating to loosen phlegm is based on the physical properties of the gas to change the pressure in the airways, according to the baby's breathing rhythm to loosen the mucus and open the airways. This method is applied in a number of respiratory diseases such as:
Nasal congestion Inflammation of bronchioles Inflammation of the lobes of the lungs Respiratory diseases that cause children to stagnate viscous sputum, obstructing the airways Chronic diseases that cause sputum stagnation such as cerebral palsy, neuromuscular diseases, some chronic respiratory diseases,... Lung collapse due to sputum sputum After surgery, especially thoracic surgery. This method helps open the airways, making breathing easier, reducing wheezing and reducing vomiting. At the same time, this method helps to release viscous sputum stagnant in the trachea and bronchi, making it more comfortable and breastfeeding and eating will be better.

Parents should let the child fast for about two hours before performing the technique, should aerosolize the child before coming to thin the sputum and make it easier to expel. After performing this technique, parents should hug and comfort the baby to reduce crying, reduce tolerance, can give the baby warm water to drink and 10 minutes after the implementation, can breastfeed and eat.
Depending on the baby's medical condition, the doctor will specify the number of times to perform treatment for the baby. Normally, the time to perform sputum expectoration for babies is about 10-15 minutes each time with 4 steps: Clear the nose and throat, Blowing the nose, Blocking the base of the tongue, Technique to increase exhalation AFE

When performing the method of vibrating and loosening phlegm, children will often cry a lot because of discomfort right from the time the technician pumps saline into the nose. The manipulations of the technique performed with the above 4 steps do not hurt the child at all. However, it is the baby's crying reflex that makes it easier to expel sputum, the louder the baby cries, the faster and more viscous sputum is pushed out. If the baby cries more, it is likely that the airway is constricted, at this time the technician and parents will pat the child to make the child feel more comfortable and easy to perform the technique.

Parents should absolutely not perform the technique of patting phlegm at home. This method should only be performed under the direction of a doctor and by highly trained technicians.
Some things parents can do at home to help their baby recover quickly:
Instill the baby's nose with physiological saline 4-5 times a day, especially before feeding or sleeping so that the child can sleep better and easier to eat. Before instilling a nose in a child, parents should wash their hands. Only clean disposable tissues should be used to blow and wipe the child's nose; Avoid repeated use of baby wipes as there is a greater risk of infection. Give your child plenty of water to drink to thin the sputum. Eat small meals so that your child can digest them easily and not anorexic. When sleeping, let the child lie on his side, with a pillow higher than usual. Limit the use of mother's mouth to suck the nose for children because in the mother's oral cavity there are many disease-causing bacteria, should only be used in an emergency. When children have respiratory infections, children often cough or vomit, this is a natural reflex to expel foreign substances from the airways. At that time, parents should support the child to produce phlegm by patting the child's back. Absolutely do not give children cough suppressants without the prescription of a specialist because it will make the sputum thick, sticky and difficult to expel.

Some other notes:
Vibrating to loosen phlegm is a supportive treatment, not a treatment for the cause. Synthesis and analysis of the results of many recent studies around the world shows that respiratory physiotherapy does not change the course of two important and common causes of productive cough in young children, pneumonia. and bronchiolitis without complications of atelectasis. For children with simple respiratory infections, including pneumonia, laryngitis, bronchiolitis without complications due to sputum sputum, it is not allowed to perform pulsation to loosen phlegm for children. Children with respiratory disease do not always need respiratory physiotherapy, even in many cases children really have phlegm. For example, a patient with asthma should not always practice physical therapy, even if it is also a productive cough. It is especially important to note that when a patient is having an asthma attack (usually with cough, chest tightness, wheezing, shortness of breath), physical therapy should not be practiced because it is ineffective and sometimes aggravates the condition. difficulty breathing in children. Therefore, children need to be examined by a specialist to be diagnosed, determine the exact cause and have appropriate and effective treatment. The pediatric department at Vinmec International General Hospital is the address for receiving and examining diseases that infants and young children are susceptible to: viral fever, bacterial fever, otitis media, pneumonia in children ,....With modern equipment, sterile space, minimizing the impact as well as the risk of disease spread. Along with that is the dedication from the doctors with professional experience with pediatric patients, making the examination no longer a concern of the parents.
In addition, parents should also add some supporting foods containing lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, B vitamins, ... to help fully meet The need for nutrients at the same time supports the immune system, enhances resistance, reduces the risk of upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, flu.
Lysine is very necessary for the development of children, Lysine promotes the production of digestive enzymes to stimulate children to eat better and digest easily and effectively, increase food metabolism, maximize absorption of nutrients. Nutrition from food.Strengthening lysine for babies helps the body create antibodies, develop resistance to help reduce cough, thin phlegm in children.
Parents can learn more:
Why do you need to supplement Lysine for your baby?
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