This week we take a bit of a turn with our Fun-Physio as it is often important to highlight the dangers of not doing physio properly or not using the right tools. This week we will highlight a device that is NOT a physiotherapy device for airway clearance. And actually continued use of same exact incentive spirometry device over and over can reintroduce harmful mutated bacteria into your PCD loved one’s airways. Incentive spirometry dev are often used after surgical procedures to help prevent patients from getting pneumonia. These devices are great for that intended purpose. What they are not great for are is that the devices can’t be completely and properly cleaned and sterilized. This makes them unsafe for mucociliary clearance patients who are unable to clear their airways on their own. Incentive spirometry devices require you to breathe in and out through them. And since they can’t be throughly cleaned and they can’t be sterilized this means the bacteria we breath into the devices take up residence in the device where they can grow and mutate into worse bacteria. This bacteria is then reintroduced into the patient’s airways as they device is repeatedly used.
Incentive spirometers have their place. They can safely be used for a period of mere days, but then need to be thrown in the trash. Learning that airway clearance goes beyond the method and includes so much more than just proper breathing and coughing is extremely important in PCD care. So ditch those old incentive spirometry devices in the trash where they belong. Also do not confuse an incentive spirometry device with a PEP device or and OPEP device. Speak with your clinic’s PCD Respiratory Therapist today for a more tailored airway clearance toolbox.
If you’re struggling to get your child engaged with their airway clearance techniques try turning airway clearance into play, it could help lessen the burden of persuading your child to do their treatments. If you’re an adult, remember that the best airway clearance technique for you is the one that you will actually do. There are tons of airway clearance techniques and tons of outside the box ideas as well. Experiment today and put the fun back into your life. Remember airway hygiene is an important part of primary ciliary dyskinesia care.
Join our Facebook group Turtle Talk Café today, click here.
We have several ways that you can donate to PCD Smiles;
- Visit Smile E. Turtle's Amazon Wishlist
- For more information on how you can donate, please visit our "Donation" page to check out our "Do & Don't policies.
- Or sponsor a PCD Smiles cheer package today!
- To shop for your “Official” turtle care ribbon gear today, visit PCD Style or Smile E. Cove
Thank you for your consideration!
