Unfortunately, the mask is poorly designed: it only has two straps to hold it onto the face, so it frequently falls down. I frequently find Nolan in this position:
Obviously, having the head-net and mask wrapped around his neck is not the best idea in the world. For other C-Pap parents, this is the SleepNet MiniMe Petite CPap mask. It might work well for a non-mobile child, but I would otherwise avoid it. The retention system is terrible, and the designers did not consider the face and characteristics of a young child when creating this mask.
Every 10 minutes or so, I find him in this position and have to readjust him. When it is positioned correctly, it looks like this:
You can see there isn't much to hold it in place - just the two lower straps that fit under his ears. He can't get more than about an hour or two with the C-Pap working, because the mask just won't stay in place.
The pediatric mask I ordered online came in the mail today. It is smaller and has four straps to hold it in place. Obviously, our respiratory therapist is trying to pass off petite adult masks to save on overhead costs (she already has adult masks in stock and doesn't want to order a new mask in for Nolan). She tried to pass off the adult sized "EasyLife" mask as the "Child Lite" mask I had informed her of - unfortunately, she didn't realize that I could read (the side of the mask is labeled with the name and size, which indicate that it is NOT the mask we requested).
Thank goodness I was smart enough to invest the $100 and purchase our own mask from the online site. If you want something done right, you have to
We are going to try the mask I ordered tonight.
We can't really judge the effectiveness of C-Pap therapy until we can get a solid night in with the machine!
5 comments:
You might as well forge your credentials. I`m pretty sure that's what half our practitioners have done! ; ) Hey! then you could get paid for what you already do better than they do!!
I am still surprised that your respiratory therapist doesn't have a mask to fit Nolan, and moreover, that she's trying to pass off adult sized masks onto kids. What?!! That's just crazy! The photo of Nolan with the straps around his neck is so alarming. No wonder you are exhausted. I wouldn't sleep a wink between the reflux and the breathing, er, I mean, strangling mask either! I really hope the new mask fits perfectly and you can all rest easy tonight.
you always amaze me-you are a rockstar mom!!!
How in the world is anyone supposed to sleep this way?? One has to give lil Nolan credit to even allow anyone to put this on him and he sleeping......Wish life is easier soon.
That mask is just terrible - and the other (adult) masks given to us by the respiratory therapist are WORSE! Luckily our mask arrived last night - it is SO much better. Nolan still managed to knock it off his nose, but the tubing doesn't end up around his neck. And it stays in place much longer than the Mini Me one did!
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