Breathing, or respiration, involves the inspiration (breathing in) of oxygen (O2) and the expiration (breathing out) of carbon dioxide (CO2).
With every inspiration, oxygen enters the lungs and then is absorbed into the blood so that it is delivered to all the cells of the body. At the same time, carbon dioxide, a waste product of cell function, is carried in the blood and delivered to the lungs where it can be removed from the body through expiration. Breathing balances and regulates the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body.
Some children are unable to breathe adequately because of various health conditions (for example, weakness of the respiratory muscles, spinal cord injury or neurological problems).
Ventilatory assistance (or ventilation or assisted ventilation or artificial ventilation) with a specific device helps children breathe more effectively; a mechanical device pushes air with oxygen (O2) into the lungs, like inspiration, and facilitates the removal of carbon dioxide (CO2), like expiration. Ventilatory assistance supports the child’s activities and development.
A ventilatory assistance device may be used during sleep and/or when the child is awake, depending upon the needs of the child, in order to improve/support respiration and overall health quality.
Ventilatory assistance is divided into two categories depending on the type of interface between the child and the ventilatory assistance device:
invasive ventilation: the device is connected to a tracheal cannula.
non-invasive ventilation: the device is connected to a mask (nasal, facial or nasal pillows) with a integrated exhalation valve or to a mouthpiece.
Manual ventilation with a ventilatory bag (or manual ventilatory bag ormanual ventilatory device or bag valve mask or self-inflating bag with a non-rebreathing valve or Ambu bag) may be necessary if your child is unable to breathe effectively independently. Here are some situations when manual ventilation may be required:
to replace a mechanical ventilatory assistance device while it is disconnected for transportation or to facilitate mobility (eg, transferring your child from chair to bed, re-positioning, daily care such as bathing, etc.);
to change the ventilatory circuit or ventilatory assistance device;
to mobilize and improve clearance of secretions and/or aspiration of secretions;
to ventilate in an emergency situation such as respiratory distress, obstruction or accidental decannulation of the tracheal cannula, breakage of ventilatory assistance device, unresolved ventilatory assistance device alarms, etc.;
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