Pediatric home ventilator clinic

The pediatric home ventilator clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic that provides comprehensive treatment and support to children and adolescents who require mechanical ventilation to support their breathing.

Children and adolescents on ventilators are commonly treated for such conditions as:

• Prematurity
• Spinal injuries
• Severe lung disease
• Neurological disorders

By including a variety of specialists on our team, we can more fully address your child's needs during a single visit.

Please arrive 15 minutes early for your appointment. A ventilator clinic visit can last one to three hours depending on the number of specialists your child sees that day. While this may seem very long, it allows time for your child to be seen by team members from all the different disciplines to ensure that we adequately address all of your child's needs. To protect all patients, we use special precautionary measures for patients with a history of positive bacteria.

You are encouraged to discuss any changes since the last appointment or hospital discharge. The respiratory therapist will go over your child's ventilator settings and answer questions.

• List of current medications and refills needed
• List of questions for the mechanical ventilator clinic team
• Any forms that may need to be completed
• Your child's home ventilator, even if it is only used during sleep
• Your child’s “go-bag,” including emergency trach supplies, suction machine and replacement tracheostomy tubes
• Oxygen tank if your child is on supplemental oxygen. We will provide oxygen once you are in the exam rooms

If your child requires admission to the hospital, he or she will be admitted to our pediatric critical care unit. The hospital staff may consult a member of our team while your child is in the hospital and ensure a smooth transition back to outpatient visits. While your child is in the hospital, he or she will be seen by our medical social worker to address any needs or concerns you may have.