How to Wean a Special Needs Child Off of the Ventilator

Children born with various health ailments, from Down syndrome to immature lungs due to premature birth, sometimes need a machine to do the breathing for them; these machines are called ventilators. Often, those left on ventilators a long time become dependent on them, and the need arises to wean them from the machine, according to Chestnet.org. There are several theories about how to achieve this, but the idea is essentially the same: Begin slowly and don't be surprised if your child occasionally relapses before the weaning is complete.

Things You'll Need

• CPAP machine
• Oxygen de-saturation alarm system

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Instructions

• 1

  Consult with your pediatrician about whether or not it is feasible to begin weaning your child off the ventilator. The doctor will want to be sure the child's heart rate, blood pressure and temperature are stable, according to the Advanced Patient Education website.

• 2

  Begin by weaning your child during the day. Remove him from the ventilator and assess his progress. If he appears to be struggling for breath, immediately hook him back up to the machine.

• 3

  Record the date, time and how long he was able to remain off the ventilator. Do this each time you remove him from it.

• 4

  Wait a few hours before trying it again. Again, assess his progress. Keep track of how long it takes him before he begins to struggle for breath, and then place him back on the machine.

• 5

  Ask the doctor if you can decrease the amount of oxygen that is pushed into your child's lungs when on the ventilator. Ventilated air contains a much purer form of oxygen than the average person, who is not on a ventilator, breathes. Decreasing the amount of oxygen in the air your child is breathing brings her closer to the level of oxygen she will experience off the ventilator, thus making the transition to breathing on her own much easier.

• 6

  Have the doctor or nurse prescribe a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine as your child's lung strength increases. CPAPs are thought to decrease complications normally found in ventilator use, according to The National Institutes of Health. They also are far less invasive than a ventilator, as they deliver oxygen through a breathing mask instead of a tube down the child's throat.