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HUTT HOSPITAL

Published Monday 21 Sep 2015

The donation of an Airvo machine by the Hutt Hospital Foundation Trust earlier this year has helped children breathe easier and has meant shorter hospital stays.

Now after an extremely busy winter, with high numbers of children coming into the Hutt Valley Emergency Department with respiratory illnesses, the hospital is fundraising for a second machine to meet the increasing demand.

The Airvo machine is used to help treat children with moderate to severe respiratory distress by delivering humidified air or oxygen at high flows in attempt to reduce their work of breathing.

Nicole McCown whose son Benjamin has on-going respiratory issues was so impressed with the treatment he received she wanted to share her son’s story to help the Trust with fundraising for a second Airvo machine.

Benjamin’s story as written by Nicole McCown

Since Benjamin was eight months old we have had multiple hospital admissions relating to respiratory issues about every four to six weeks, he is now 21 months old.

Benjamin came home from care on Thursday afternoon with a runny nose. By Friday this escalated to a persistent
cough accompanied with a fever, vomiting and periods of inconsolable crying.

Early Saturday morning I noticed Benjamin struggling to breathe, his stomach caved underneath his ribs and his neck tugged with every inhalation. His mouth turned a light shade of blue and he had moments of unconsciousness from the strain his body was experiencing attempting to take each breath.

An ambulance was called and arrived within minutes, the paramedics reacted quickly. Benjamin was bagged sporadically as they rushed us to the Hutt Hospital emergency department.

Upon arrival the team of doctors and nurses worked expeditiously, Benjamin received high flow oxygen therapy and active humidification provided by the ED Airvo machine. Soon after, I noticed a reduction in his work of breathing.

We spent a lot of time in ED waiting for a room in the intensive care unit as the hospital was at full capacity.

After two days on the Airvo machine Benjamin was slowly weaned off and we were able to be moved into the children’s ward and discharged a day later.

The care we received was very efficient I was particularly impressed with the distraction therapy techniques that were offered especially in the emergency department.

Having access to the Airvo machine in ED is a great treatment, as it not only helps children in respiratory distress it also reduces their time having to spend in hospital.

Due to limited funding there is no funding for the Airvo machines in ED yet I feel it was such a vital component of his respiratory care especially for my son.

Fundraising allowed Benjamin to receive treatment from the Airvo machine from the earliest point of his medical care in the ED department, for that I am truly grateful.

Anyone interested in helping with donations can see more about the Hutt Hospital Foundation Trust here