Friends Set Sites on New Cough Assist Machine
The Friends have set a goal to raise sufficient funds to purchase a Cough Assist machine that can be loaned to children and families to trial when their respiratory function has declined to the point of requiring respiratory support.
Cough assist machines are an integral part of the daily respiratory management of patients with neuromuscular disorders (NMD). Due to muscle weakness, patients with NMD have reduced capacity to cough and an increased risk of chest infections requiring hospitalisations. Cough assist machines allow NMD patients to fully inflate their lungs and produce an effective cough to clear respiratory secretions and reduce the number and severity of chest infections.
Each machine is allocated to a child with NMD for use at home on a daily basis to prevent and treat chest infections.
Since the introduction of cough machines in 2007, the hospital has seen a significant drop in the number of NMD patients presenting to the WCH acutely unwell and have seen a significant increase in the lifespan of patients with NMD.
“In the past, Muscular Dystrophy SA have donated machines to WCH for in-home patient use. That charity is no longer operational, so our supply of cough assists has stopped. WCH physiotherapy usually prescribe the use of cough assists to around 5 new NMD patients per year. We would be very grateful to have access to extra machines that we can loan to patients. This allows them to familiarise themselves with the machine prior to purchasing their own machine via NDIS funding” explains Angela Potter, Head of Respiratory Physiotherapy Unit WCHN.
Julie explains how the use of the Cough Assist Machine has changed her daughters life.
“My 9-year-old daughter has a form of muscular dystrophy and was struggling to overcome pneumonia when first introduced to a Cough Assist Machine last year at the Women & Children’s Hospital (WCH). This was her second case of pneumonia; however, most winters, she experiences a number of persistent colds and chesty coughs. Her ability to cough with ‘normal strength’ is limited, and therefore chest infections are a regular threat.
Since acquiring the “Cough Assist Machine” for home use, it’s been programmed and used in consultation with her respiratory physio at the WCH, providing independent, easy self-management of her therapy on a more regular and continued basis.
So far, she has not had any further serious infection, and after experiencing only one slight cough this year from a nasal irritation, which lasted a couple of days instead of the usual weeks, we feel the machine is very beneficial to her ongoing health as it is able to assist in expelling the congestion where she is not strong enough to do on her own.”
This is one of the ways your donation can enhance the life of our community! Donate here https://wchfriends.com.au/donate
Cough Assist Machine