Safety Precautions
Safety Precautions
Smoke, aerosol sprays, powders, heavy dust and cleaning products with strong fumes (such as bleach and ammonia) are irritating when breathed through a tracheostomy. These things should be avoided.
Avoid using fuzzy blankets, toys or clothing with loose fibers that could be “breathed” into your child’s tracheostomy.
Dress your child in clothing that does not cover the tracheostomy.
Encourage other family members and responsible friends to learn tracheostomy care and CPR, so they can baby-sit and give you a break.
Supervise bathing and water play. Do not let water get into your child’s tracheostomy.
Never leave a baby alone in a tub!!!!!
Do not allow your child to play alone with toys that have small parts that could be removed and put into his tracheostomy.
Keep an extra tracheostomy tube at your child’s bedside. Take along an extra tracheostomy tube and other supplies (suction machine and breathing bag) whenever you leave home with your child.
Order supplies from your home equipment company/community nurse/hospital well in advance of running out of supplies.
Call your child’s doctor if:
Your child has a fever over 100 degrees F (37.8 degrees C) taken under the arm.
Mucus suctioned from the tracheostomy changes color (not clear or white) or smells bad.
Food or blood is suctioned from your child’s tracheostomy.
You are unable to replace the same size tracheostomy tube.
Call your emergency number (999) if your child has difficulty breathing which does not improve with suctioning or changing the tube.
