Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Mechanical Ventilation Boot Camp Curriculum

Mechanical Ventilation Boot Camp Curriculum

Published on: March 12, 2018

Home mechanical ventilation in children: indications and practical aspects

¹Department of Paediatric Intensive Care and Pneumology, University Children's Hospital, Basel. juerg.hammer@unibas.ch

Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift

|January 12, 2001

Insights

Home mechanical ventilation improves quality of life for children with chronic respiratory failure, enabling school attendance. However, challenges include psychosocial impact, resource limitations, and equipment suitability.

Area of Science:

Pediatrics
Pulmonology
Critical Care Medicine

Background:

Increasing number of pediatric patients require long-term or home mechanical ventilation.
Primary care physicians collaborate with pediatric intensivists and pulmonologists for these patients.
Various causes of chronic respiratory failure necessitate home ventilatory support.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight the importance of home mechanical ventilation for pediatric patients.
To inform discussions about therapeutic modalities for chronically ill children and their families.
To address the psychosocial, resource, and financial challenges associated with pediatric home ventilation.

Main Methods:

Review of current practices and challenges in pediatric home mechanical ventilation.
Discussion of psychosocial, ethical, and logistical aspects.
Identification of data gaps, particularly in Switzerland.

Main Results:

Home ventilation significantly enhances psychosocial development, social integration, and quality of life for children.
Many ventilator-dependent children can attend school.
Key challenges include negative psychosocial impact on families, limited resources, financial burdens, ethical considerations, and adult-designed equipment.

Conclusions:

Home mechanical ventilation is crucial for the well-being and development of pediatric patients with chronic respiratory failure.
Addressing psychosocial, resource, and financial challenges is essential for successful implementation.
Establishing patient organizations can aid families managing technology-dependent children.

Read full analysis

Abstract:

An increase in the number of paediatric patients dependent on long-term or home mechanical ventilation has led to growing interest in this topic. Primary care physicians are becoming increasingly involved in teamwork with paediatric intensivists and pulmonologists in the care of such children. There are many causes of chronic respiratory failure and different options for provision of ventilatory support at home. Awareness of the possibilities of long-term ventilation is essential in organising discussion of these therapeutic modalities with chronically ill children and their parents prior to any respiratory compromise precluding an elective decision. Home ventilation offers the best option for these children's psychosocial development, social integration and quality of life. Many ventilator-dependent children can attend school. The main problems of paediatric home ventilation are its negative psychosocial impact on family life, limited home care resources, the financial burden, differences in ethical perception by the local community and the fact that the equipment is usually designed for adults. Unfortunately, only scant data are available on the number of home-ventilated children in Switzerland. The creation of a patient organisation dedicated to support of families with ventilator- or technology-dependent children may be helpful in mastering some of these problems.

More Related Videos

Ex Vivo Porcine Experimental Model for Studying and Teaching Lung Mechanics

Ex Vivo Porcine Experimental Model for Studying and Teaching Lung Mechanics

Published on: April 19, 2024

Inspiratory Muscle Training as an Adjunct to the Treatment of Weaning Failure in Critically Ill Patients: A Practical Guide

Inspiratory Muscle Training as an Adjunct to the Treatment of Weaning Failure in Critically Ill Patients: A Practical Guide

Published on: January 30, 2026

Related Concept Videos

Assessment of Ventilation I: Respiratory Rate

Assessment of Ventilation I: Respiratory Rate

Assessment of Ventilation
A Ventilation assessment is critical for monitoring a patient's health status. Respiration, one of the most accessible vital signs, provides insights into the function of numerous body systems and can indicate serious health issues, such as brainstem injuries from head trauma.
Critical Guidelines for Assessing Ventilation:

Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications

Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications

Respiratory assessment is a cornerstone of nursing assessments, crucial for the early detection of patient deterioration. This evaluation transcends routine procedures, representing a critical skill nurses must master to ensure optimal patient care.
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...

Mechanical Ventilation I: Indication and Settings

Mechanical Ventilation I: Indication and Settings

Mechanical ventilation is a life-saving technique for managing acute respiratory failure and other respiratory complications. The process involves using a machine known as a ventilator to supply oxygen to the lungs and assist in removing carbon dioxide. It serves as a bridge to long-term mechanical ventilation or a temporary measure until ventilatory support is discontinued. The ventilator can maintain this function for a prolonged period, providing critical support for patients until they can...

Mechanical Ventilation II: Invasive Ventilation

Mechanical Ventilation II: Invasive Ventilation

Ventilators are essential medical equipment used to aid patients with respiratory difficulties. Their primary function is to assist or replace spontaneous breathing by providing mechanical ventilation. There are two general classes of mechanical ventilators: negative-pressure and positive-pressure ventilators.
Negative-Pressure Ventilators
Negative-pressure ventilators create a vacuum around the chest or body to draw air into the lungs, simulating breathing. This method does not require an...

Mechanical Ventilation III: Noninvasive Ventilation

Mechanical Ventilation III: Noninvasive Ventilation

Noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) are essential methods in respiratory care. These ventilation techniques offer unique benefits for patients with various respiratory conditions, providing adequate support without requiring intubation. Let's explore how each method is crucial in improving patient outcomes and enhancing respiratory therapy.
Noninvasive Positive-Pressure Ventilation (NIPPV)

Ventilatory Modes

Ventilatory Modes

Mechanical ventilators are life-saving devices that support or replace spontaneous breathing. They deliver breaths to patients through varying methods known as ventilator modes. Understanding these modes is critical for healthcare providers managing patients with respiratory failure.
There are three ventilatory modes: full support, partial support, and spontaneous. These are described below.
Full Support Modes
Full support modes include controlled mechanical ventilation, continuous mandatory...

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Hohlraum Reheating from Burning NIF Implosions.

Physical review letters·2024

Tunable and state-preserving frequency conversion of single photons in hydrogen.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2022

Interpretable functional specialization emerges in deep convolutional networks trained on brain signals.

Journal of neural engineering·2022

Twist and strain tuning of third harmonic generation in glass nanostrand with two sub-wavelength hollow channels.

Optics letters·2021

Measurements of the associated production of a Z boson and b jets in pp collisions at .

The European physical journal. C, Particles and fields·2020

Lower serum adiponectin level is associated with lipodystrophy among HIV-infected men in the Study to Understand the Natural History of HIV/AIDS in the Era of Effective Therapy (SUN) study.

HIV medicine·2019

See all related articles