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Respiratory function in handicapped children
C Ishida1, M Fujita, H Umemoto
1Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Children's Rehabilitation Center, Hokkaido, Japan.
Insights
Severely handicapped children who cannot sit have significantly lower tidal volumes, indicating impaired respiratory function. Monitoring tidal volume is crucial for assessing respiratory health and preventing infections in these children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Disability Studies
Background:
- Assessing respiratory function is vital for managing severely handicapped children.
- Motor abilities significantly impact physiological functions in children with disabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the respiratory function in severely handicapped children.
- To determine the relationship between motor abilities and respiratory parameters.
Main Methods:
- Measured tidal volumes and respiratory rates in 130 children with varying motor abilities (non-sitters, sitters, ambulators).
- Correlated tidal volume with vital capacity in 45 children.
- Conducted blood gas analysis on children with critically low tidal volumes.
Main Results:
- Non-sitters exhibited significantly lower tidal volumes compared to sitters and ambulators (p < 0.01).
- No significant difference in respiratory rate was observed across motor ability groups.
- Tidal volume showed a strong positive correlation with vital capacity (r = 0.56, p < 0.001).
- Hypoxia was detected in 3 out of 4 children with tidal volume < 200 ml and respiratory rate > 30 cpm.
Conclusions:
- Reduced tidal volume in non-sitters suggests impaired respiratory function.
- Tidal volume serves as a useful indicator for estimating respiratory status.
- Preventive strategies against respiratory infections are essential for children with impaired respiratory function, particularly non-sitters.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to evaluate respiratory function of severely handicapped children. Tidal volumes and respiratory rates were determined in a total of 130 children with different clinical motor abilities. Tidal volume of non-sitters (n = 39) was significantly lower than ambulators (n = 49) or sitters (n = 42) (p less than 0.01). There was no difference in respiratory rate among the three groups. Among 45 children whose vital capacity could be determined, the tidal volumes showed a significant correlation with vital capacity (r = 0.56, p less than 0.001). Among four children whose tidal volume was less than 200 ml and respiratory rate was more than 30 cpm, blood gas analysis revealed hypoxia in three of them. The tidal volumes, therefore, would be a useful guide to estimate respiratory functions. It was concluded that the respiratory function in a non-sitter with reduced tidal volume is impaired, and that preventive measures must be taken against respiratory infection.