In other words, there should be room for air to pass through the nose when the nasal cannula is in place. The tubes should not take up the entire area of the nostril, however. When in doubt, ask a medical professional.Įach of the nasal tubes (prongs) should fit comfortably within a nostril. Simply using an age or weight-based guide may not ensure the right fit. Make sure your healthcare provider prescribes or orders the correct nasal cannula for your infant or toddler. In fact, the Children’s Interstitial Lung Disease Foundation suggests using Hy-Tape specifically to secure the nasal cannula because it is “perfect for extended wear use.” How to Secure a Nasal Cannula on an Infant or Toddler Using Hy-Tape Hy-Tape stays secure over several days, which means you don’t have to keep applying and reapplying the tape. Pink tape is also occlusive, which means it can stand up to secretions like saliva, spit up, and the random bit of baby food that didn’t quite make it into baby’s mouth. Hy-Tape is washable and waterproof, so baby can take a bath while wearing oxygen, if needed. Yet when it is time for Hy-Tape to come off, mom can remove it without burning or tearing the skin. Pink tape is strong enough to hold a nasal cannula in place, and can hold its own against the busiest of tiny hands. This latex-free adhesive is gentle and even soothing on delicate skin. Hy-Tape-which almost everyone simply calls “pink tape”-uses a zinc oxide-based adhesive. Those who care for young children in need of supplemental oxygen have learned through trial-and-error and word-of-mouth that Hy-Tape offers the ideal combination of safety and security for securing a nasal cannula. Hy-Tape Secures the Cannula Safely and Securely In some ways, choosing a securement method that is too strong for an infant or toddler is worse than choosing one that is not strong enough. If this occurs, the child is at risk of not getting the extra oxygen he or she needs. Not only is this uncomfortable and potentially painful for the infant, but it also means that the binding will have to be removed until the skin heals. Certain bindings and tapes make it more likely that the young child will develop a rash or, over time, a fungal (yeast) infection on the face. The other major problem with most bindings and adhesives is that they can irritate newborn skin. Children may not grow accustomed to wearing these cumbersome adhesives and devices. However these attachments are almost always too uncomfortable for young children to bear, even painful. Heavy tapes, straps, or other bindings can certainly secure the cannula. Given the importance of continuous, supplemental oxygen for the child’s health and well-being, caregivers must find a way to secure nasal cannulae in place that tiny hands cannot dislodge. Only using soft gauze to secure the cannula almost never works and if it works, it does not work for very long. The cannula often becomes a toy, an irritant, or just simply the target of randomly moving hands. If you have not discovered it already, securing a nasal cannula to the face and head of an infant or toddler is challenging. Unfortunately, this can be a tremendous burden on parents and other lay caregivers, since it is usually their responsibility to make sure the oxygen nasal cannula stays in place. Thus, it is very important to keep the oxygen flowing as directed. In most children with severe cases of lung or heart disease, having additional oxygen can mean the difference between living life at home and winding up back in the PICU or NICU. If a child has a prescription for oxygen, this means supplemental oxygen therapy is an important part of their overall treatment program. A portion of children need oxygen treatments all the time, so they leave the hospital with an oxygen delivery system and nasal cannulae. Nasal cannulae (plural of cannula) are extremely common in the neonatal intensive care units because premature newborns almost always have underdeveloped or “weak” lungs and require additional oxygen. If you have ever visited an adult in a hospital, you have likely seen the patient wearing an adult nasal cannula. The other end of the nasal cannula is connected to an oxygen delivery device, such as an oxygen tank or oxygen concentrator. A nasal cannula is a thin, clear tube with two smaller tubes, called prongs, that are placed one in each nostril.
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