Mobilisation of secretions in infants and children

1. Mobilisation of secretions in infants and children Robyn Smith Department of Physiotherapy University of Free State 2011

2. Chest physiotherapy is the term for a group of treatments and techniques designed to: • improve respiratory efficiency, • promote expansion of the lungs, • strengthen respiratory muscles, and • eliminate secretions What exactly is chest physiotherapy (CPT) ?

3. Secretion retention • Decreased lung volume or ventilation • Ventilation perfusion mismatching • Chronic secretion production • Increased work of breathing Indications for CPT

4. Most of the techniques used in adults can be used in children • The physiological and anatomical difference of immature respiratory system need to be taken into account however in the case of child (Ammani Prasad & Main, 2008) How does the application of CPT differ in children

5. Aim of CPT of to improve respiratory function in the child

6. Postural drainage • Mobilisation & physical activity • Manual techniques • Huffing/cough • Humidification • ACBT • PEP • Manual hyperinflations • Nasopharyngeal suctioning Which techniques are used to mobilise secretions ?

7. Manual techniques

8. Childs conditions needs to be assessed to determine the appropriateness and need • CPT should preferably be done before meals or at least 30 minutes after a meal to reduce the risk of vomiting and aspiration • Evidence base for use of manual techniques efficacy is currently lacking. No studies to show their efficacy in clearing secretions. Considerations

9. Manual technique used to cause vibrations by clapping over the chest wall to loosen secretions • In children there are various ways of applying this technique: • Single handed percussions in small children • Soft facemask • Tenting • Should be done over a towel to cushion the chest wall Chest percussions

10. Correct hand position is essential when doing percussions and must be done rhythmically Chest percussions

11. Percussion done on your lap in children http://www.pedilungdocs.com/education/cpt_infant.pdf

12. Need to monitor how the child tolerates technique • In neonates stabilise the head to reduce the risk of “shaken baby syndrome” some articles suggest that only gentle vibrations are to be done in neonates and LBW infants .....much contradiction though • Duration of treatment may vary depending on the child’s tolerance and conditions: • Infants 5-10 minutes per lobe • Older children up to15 minutes Chest percussions

13. Vibrations to the chest wall are done during expiratory phase of breathing • An oscillatory extra-thoracic compressive force is applied by the hands of the physiotherapist on the chest wall • Difficult to apply in children with high RR • Aids secretion clearance by increasing peak expiratory flow Chest Vibrations

14. Amount of force indicated varies age due to the changing compliance of chest wall • Done on alternate breaths • Used extensively in children where the chest wall is more compliant • In case of paralysis e.g. SCI or GBS “assisted” cough” or “ rib springing” may be useful to aid the clearing of secretions Chest Vibrations

15. Coagulopathies before transfusion (low platelet count) due to risk of causing pulmonary haemorrhaging or severe bruising • Dietary deficiencies e.g. Vitamin D (Rickets) or osteopenia due to the risk of fracturing ribs • Metastatic carcinoma with metastases to ribs due to the risk of fractures • Over surgical incisions, burn wounds or drainage tubes due to discomfort • Chest trauma with rib fractures Precautions percussions/ vibrations

16. Extreme care must be taken in the case of due to the risk of intracerebral bleeding premature infants • Percussions may aggravate bronchospasm or induce bronchospasm in children with an hyper-reactive airway • Can be poorly tolerated by some children • May cause hypoxaemia and be tiring to some children • Avoid vibrations in the case of↑ICP, rib fractures and chest trauma • An undrainedpneumothorax Precautions percussions/vibrations

17. Manual hyperinflations (MHI) in the ventilated patient

18. Child is disconnected from the ventilator and is given manual hyperinflations using an ambu bag. • Aim of technique is to: • Improve thoracic compliance • Enhance secretion mobilisation by increasing the peak expiratory flow • Reinflatesatelectatic areas • Improves gaseous exchange • Assists in the clearance of secretions in sedated child limited ability to cough Manual hyperinflations

19. Evidence for studies on the technique have shown: • ↑ TV • ↑ inspiratory time • ↑inspiratory pressure • ↑collateral ventilation • increased release of surfactant Manual hyperinflations

20. Aspects of technique noted in the evidence to be of importance: • Inspiratory hold: long inspiration then a hold • Fast release • Intensivist physiotherapist use a sigh breath as recruitment manoeuvre • Manual hyperinflations however can be extremely dangerous in children if a pressure manometer is not present and can cause barotrauma to the delicate lung tissue • Ventilator hyperinflations then can be used as an alterantive Manual hyperinflations

21. Premature infants • Haemodynamic instability (hypotensive) can further compromise CVS function • Children with lung hyperinflation e.g. Asthma and Bronchiolitis due to the increased risk of causing a pneumothorax • Undrained pneumothorax • Severe bronchospasm Precautions MHI

22. Physical activity & exercise

23. Regular physical activity is important as a means of mobilising secretions • The type of activity is dependent on the child’s age • Play e.g. Games e.g. ball, hoola hoop, skipping etc. • Older children more traditions CVS exercise e.g. Stair climbing, walking, running Often mobilising the child is the most effective means of mobilising secretions and improve endurance and exercise tolerance Physical activity

24. Coughing & huffing

25. An effective cough is needed to expectorate secretions that have been cleared into the larger airways, • Coughing often occurs spontaneously in children as secretions are mobilised • Young children cannot cough on command complicating expectoration • Children under the age of 5 years battle to expectorate effectively (take this into consideration when collecting sputum specimen) Coughing

26. In cases where the patient does not cough on command or where cough is weak cough can be “ stimulated” by gentle compression on the trachea just below the thyroid cartilage • In case of simply weak cough can assist with manual pressure on the chest wall • In cases where secretions are not cleared effectively the child will have to be suctioned Coughing

27. In children under 2 years can damage the cartilage in the trachea causing fibrosis • Can stimulate a vagal response resulting in bradycardia Risks with tracheal stimulation

28. Huffing or forced expiratory technique from mid volume • Can be successfully taught to children as young as 3 years • Very effective means of secretion clearance • Expends less energy than coughing Huffing

29. PEP

30. Oscillatory Positive Expiratory Pressure

31. These devices cause oscillation of the air within the airways during expiration with a variable positive end expiratory pressure • Flutter is a small portable device frequently used Oscillatory Positive Expiratory Pressure

32. Various child appropriate flutter devices are available • Can be used in children from age approximately 4 years • The Mouthpiece to be placed in mouth, the child is to breathe in, slightly deeper than normal • Breath hold for 3-5 seconds • Child is to exhale into the flutter slightly faster than normal into the flutter Flutter

33. This cycle is repeated 4-8 times • The oscillation of the ball in an attempt to elevate the ball to the marked level mobilises secretions • Can be used preferably in sitting or semi fowlers • This is followed by a deep breath and forced expectoration – mucus elimination phase Flutter

34. Can be combined with huffing or coughing and breathing control Flutter

35. Bubble PEP

36. PEP stands for Positive Expiratory Pressure. • Bubble PEP is a treatment to help children who have a build up of secretions in their lungs • Bubble PEP is used for any child who has difficulty clearing secretions e.g. cystic fibrosis (CF) or after surgery. • The child is be encouraged to blow big bubbles through water – this is fun for them! What is Bubble PEP?

38. The child is encouraged to blow down the tubing into the water, and make bubbles. • This creates positive pressure back up the tubing and into the child’s airways and lungs. • As the pressure holds open the child’s airways, it helps more air to move in and out of their lungs. • The air flow helps to move secretions out of the lungs into the bigger airways. • From here, it can be coughed up (cleared), which is the aim of treatment. Bubble PEP: how does it work?

39. Use a 2 liter fruit juice or milk carton. Fill the bottle with 1 liter of water and about 5 squirts of liquid soap, plus food colouring if you want coloured bubbles. • Put the plastic tubing into the water, through the handle of the bottle. • Put the bottle into a tray or bowl to catch the bubbles Bubble PEP treatment

40. Ask the child to take a breath in and blow out through the tubing, into the water to create bubbles. The breath out should be as long as possible. Aim to get the bubbles out of the top of the bottle each time – it may be messy but should be fun! • Repeat 5 times. This is one cycle. • Ask the child to huff (forced expiration technique) and cough to clear the phlegm, as taught by the physiotherapist. • Encourage your child to cough the phlegm out rather than swallow it. Bubble PEP treatment

41. Repeat this cycle (steps 1 - 3). • The tubing, bottle and tray should be washed out and left to dry, or dried with a disposable towel and stored in a clean place until next used. You should throw the bottle and tubing away, replacing it with clean equipment, at least once a week. • Use clean water at each session • Each child should have his own apparatus. Bubble PEP treatment

42. As with all airway clearance devices it is very important that equipment is kept clean to prevent infection. • There have been no reported problems with the use of bubble PEP. Care should however be taken with children who have had neurosurgery, facial or oesophageal surgery. • Be on the lookout for signs of shortness of breath, chest pain or haemoptysis. Risks of Bubble PEP

43. Postural Drainage

44. Implies the drainage of secretions • by the effect of gravity • from one or more lung segments to the central airways • where they can be removed by cough or suctioning What is postural drainage?

45. Aid in sputum clearance and to • Improve respiratory functioning (ventilation) Indications for postural drainage

46. Timing of postural drainage • Preferably before a meal/feed • Or 30 minutes, but preferably an hour after a meal/feed Reduces the risk of vomiting or aspiration

47. Postural drainage positions • Upper lobe • Apical segment sitting or semi-fowlers • Posterior segment R + L (more elevated) side 1/4 turn to prone • Anterior segment: supine flat • Middle lobe • Medial segment (R) :back ¼ to side 35 cm tip • Lingula (L): back ¼ turn side 35 cm tip • Lower lobe • Anterior basal: supine with 46 cm tip • Posterior basal: prone with 46 cm tip • Lateral basal: side lying with 35 cm tip

48. T rendelenburgposition • Clear indication for use –child with excessive, tenacious secretions or a child who is battling to expectorate secretions • Monitor child in position -respiration, heart rate, colour, saturation • In some cases a modified postural drainage position is indicated –simply with bed flat • In extremely ill and unstable children it is often not possible to make use of even modified postural drainage positions • At times even a head-up position may be required

49. Contra-indications • Preterm infants and Neonates (≤ 1 month) it is completely contraindicated: • intercostals muscles are immature • ribs run horizontally. • The diaphragm does most of the work of breathing but is at a mechanical disadvantage because of its horizontal angle. Also: • Due to the increased risk of cerebral bleeding • Decreased SaO2 in the position • Increased risk of gastro-oesophageal reflux

50. In all children monitor respiration carefully in a head down position • Also evaluate how well the child tolerates the position. • In such cases use a modified Pd position Monitoring child