{"id":6858,"date":"2019-11-21T10:44:20","date_gmt":"2019-11-21T00:44:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/?page_id=6858"},"modified":"2020-08-03T11:01:24","modified_gmt":"2020-08-03T01:01:24","slug":"equipment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/","title":{"rendered":"Equipment"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6725,"parent":1669,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6858","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Equipment - Lung Foundation Australia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Equipment - Lung Foundation Australia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Lung Foundation Australia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/lungfoundation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-08-03T01:01:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/chILD_BannerV4.jpg?fit=1920%2C450&quality=100\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Lungfoundation\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/\",\"name\":\"Equipment - Lung Foundation Australia\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/chILD_BannerV4.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-11-21T00:44:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-08-03T01:01:24+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/chILD_BannerV4.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/chILD_BannerV4.jpg\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":450,\"caption\":\"Child holding hand\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Patients &amp; Carers\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Living with a lung disease\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease (chILD)\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":5,\"name\":\"Equipment\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/\",\"name\":\"Lung Foundation Australia\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Lung Foundation Australia\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/LF-Logo.jpg?fit=810%2C250&quality=100&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/LF-Logo.jpg?fit=810%2C250&quality=100&ssl=1\",\"width\":810,\"height\":250,\"caption\":\"Lung Foundation Australia\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/lungfoundation\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/Lungfoundation\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/lungfoundation\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/lung-foundation-australia\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC1jdxQi0pQDYBG3iN1duYng\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Equipment - Lung Foundation Australia","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Equipment - Lung Foundation Australia","og_url":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/","og_site_name":"Lung Foundation Australia","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/lungfoundation\/","article_modified_time":"2020-08-03T01:01:24+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1920,"height":450,"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/chILD_BannerV4.jpg?fit=1920%2C450&quality=100","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@Lungfoundation","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/","url":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/","name":"Equipment - Lung Foundation Australia","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/chILD_BannerV4.jpg","datePublished":"2019-11-21T00:44:20+00:00","dateModified":"2020-08-03T01:01:24+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/chILD_BannerV4.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/chILD_BannerV4.jpg","width":1920,"height":450,"caption":"Child holding hand"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/equipment\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Patients &amp; Carers","item":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Living with a lung disease","item":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease (chILD)","item":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"name":"Equipment"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/#website","url":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/","name":"Lung Foundation Australia","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/#organization","name":"Lung Foundation Australia","url":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/LF-Logo.jpg?fit=810%2C250&quality=100&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/LF-Logo.jpg?fit=810%2C250&quality=100&ssl=1","width":810,"height":250,"caption":"Lung Foundation Australia"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/lungfoundation\/","https:\/\/x.com\/Lungfoundation","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/lungfoundation\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/lung-foundation-australia\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC1jdxQi0pQDYBG3iN1duYng"]}]}},"acf":{"page_components":[{"acf_fc_layout":"sub_nav","menu":"111"},{"acf_fc_layout":"lead_in_text","heading":"","copy":"Various types of equipment will be used in the management of chILD, depending on diagnosis and symptoms. Speak with your child\u2019s healthcare team about the equipment and medical supplies your child will need. They will advise you on how to access and use the different equipment.","link":null},{"acf_fc_layout":"accordion","heading":"Types of Equipment","display_settings":"none","accordion":[{"letter":"","title":"Oxygen sources","text":"<p><strong>Oxygen concentrators<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Oxygen concentrators draw air in from the room and separates the oxygen from other gases. It will concentrate the air to give your child greater than 90% oxygen. Oxygen concentrators are mostly electric and plug into a wall outlet. Generally, they are designed to be placed in a central location in the home. A length of lightweight plastic tubing is attached and will allow your child to move about the house. In case of power failure, a back-up oxygen tank may be needed.<\/p>\n<p>There are Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POCs) which are smaller and are designed to be taken out of the house. Check if the oxygen delivery of the smaller compact machines is compatible with your child\u2019s oxygen prescription.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Oxygen gas cylinders<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Oxygen cylinders contain oxygen as a gas under high pressure. These cylinders come in many sizes and function independently of an electric supply. The smaller cylinders can be used when leaving home, they can be wheeled on a trolley, or may be carried in a bag or backpack. A key is used to open and close the tank\u2019s valve. Your oxygen supplier will help you to organise cylinder refills.<\/p>\n"},{"letter":"","title":"Oxygen supplies","text":"<p><strong>Nasal prongs or mask<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Oxygen is delivered via different methods depending on your child\u2019s requirements. Oxygen can be inhaled either through nasal prongs (nasal cannulas) or through a mask. Nasal prongs allow children to eat and talk while receiving oxygen therapy. The mask or prongs are attached to the oxygen supply by a length of tubing. Oxygen tubing is available in a range of lengths to suit the needs of the individual child and their environment. The longer tubes provide greater freedom\/range of movement for children not able to move the oxygen source easily themselves. However, tubing can pose a significant trip and fall risk in a school or day care setting. Please consult your oxygen provider for the most suitable option for your child and their environment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tracheostomy mask and tube<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If your child has a tracheostomy and needs extra oxygen, a special tracheostomy mask and tube will be used.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pulse oximeter (or \u2018sat\u2019 monitor)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A pulse oximeter is used to monitor your child\u2019s oxygen saturation. Children who require night-time or continuous oxygen may have a pulse oximeter at home, but this isn\u2019t always necessary. Pulse oximeters come in a variety of sizes and may be a bedside monitor, palm size, or fingertip. When looking at these products it is important to consult with your healthcare team for advice relevant to your child.<\/p>\n"},{"letter":"","title":"Non-invasive ventilators","text":"<p><strong>Ventilators<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Some children with chILD need extra help breathing beyond the help that extra oxygen gives. Ventilators are machines that can give either a little extra breathing help or do all of the breathing for your child. The machines are fitted using either a face mask (mouth and nose), full face mask, nose mask or tracheostomy tube.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are many different types of ventilators, such as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). With CPAP, a machine gives a constant amount of air (with oxygen, if needed) to the child using a face or nose mask. The amount of air given can change based on the child\u2019s needs and comfort. CPAP devices are also used for several other medical conditions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>BiLevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>BiPAP is like CPAP in that a machine gives a certain amount of air (with oxygen, if needed) to the child using a face or nose mask. With BiPAP, the amount of air is higher when the child breathes in, and lower when the child breathes out. A BiPAP machine can give a set breath rate, beyond the extra help given when the child breathes on their own.<\/p>\n"},{"letter":"","title":"Nebuliser","text":"<p>A nebuliser is a small machine that changes medication from a liquid to a mist so that it can be more easily inhaled into the lungs. You may also use a nebuliser for saline therapy and inhaled antibiotics.<\/p>\n"},{"letter":"","title":"Feeding tubes\/buttons","text":"<p>A feeding tube\/button is a plastic tube that is used to bypass chewing and swallowing if your child is not able to eat or drink safely. They may also be used when there is concern about growth and failure to thrive and its impact on development. These tubes can be used to deliver both food and fluids and can also be used for providing medications when needed. There are different types available, including nasogastric (NG) tubes (put into the nose, then go down the throat into the stomach), gastrostomy (G) tube\/button (put into the stomach), jejunostomy (JT) tube (put into the intestine), and nasojejeunal (NJ) tube (which goes from the nose to the intestine). NG tubes and G tubes\/buttons are the most commonly used options in children.<\/p>\n"},{"letter":"","title":"Enteral feeding","text":"<p>Enteral feeding is a method of supplying nutrients directly into the gastrointestinal tract. Feeds can be administered via syringe, gravity feeding set or feeding pump. The method selected is dependent of the nature of the feed and clinical status of the child.<\/p>\n"}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"featured_posts_static","heading":"","view_more_link":null,"posts":[{"ID":1845,"post_author":"3","post_date":"2018-09-20 09:59:18","post_date_gmt":"2018-09-19 23:59:18","post_content":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>This resource introduces Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease (chILD) and discusses the following topics:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul><li>Disease subtypes<\/li><li>Symptoms<\/li><li>Causes<\/li><li>Diagnosis<\/li><li>Experience<\/li><li>Treatment<\/li><li>Management strategies<br>For further information on chILD you can visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/patients-carers\/living-with-a-lung-disease\/childhood-lung-disease\/overview\/\">website<\/a> or contact our Information and Support Centre on<a href=\"Tel:1800654301\"> 1800 654 301.<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","post_title":"Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease","post_excerpt":"The Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease (chILD) fact sheet provides an overview of the disease, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and management.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"childrens-interstitial-lung-disease-child-fact-sheet","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2021-03-17 10:53:58","post_modified_gmt":"2021-03-17 00:53:58","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/?post_type=resource&#038;p=1845","menu_order":0,"post_type":"resource","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":9631,"post_author":"85","post_date":"2020-07-28 10:17:30","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-28 00:17:30","post_content":"<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4>As told by her mother, Bec.&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>After being sent to emergency with her 5-month-old daughter Bridgette in respiratory distress, Bec knew something was wrong. But on arrival to the hospital two days in a row they were sent back home and told it was just viral. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cOn the third day when I turned up at the hospital Bridgette was listless, not feeding and not responding to much \u2013 I was distraught and tired of being turned away but they finally admitted something was not right and she couldn\u2019t maintain her oxygen saturations.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>A few months after the hospital stay, Bec noticed Bridgette\u2019s breathing was still not normal. They saw numerous GPs for opinions and were told everything looked fine.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cI knew something wasn\u2019t right and after being told 'it\u2019s nothing' so many times, I was almost defeated. Instead I showed a GP some video footage of Bridgette\u2019s breathing and we were referred to a paediatrician. After months and months of being ignored, within a week we were told our daughter had some form of chronic lung disease. And our journey of diagnosis started.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cThe diagnosis process was traumatising. To not have any certainty around what is causing your child's symptoms and breathing difficulties and then not knowing what treatment is going to work, is really hard. It\u2019s a never-ending pool of questions. You feel let down, unsupported and alone.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"align\":\"center\",\"id\":9637,\"width\":357,\"height\":357,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"className\":\"is-style-rounded\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/hospital-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9637\" width=\"357\" height=\"357\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cRare is actually rare \u2013 the medical professionals are learning about it, there\u2019s limited information and that makes it really hard for families to get the financial support and emotional support that they need.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u00a0\u201cYou have to become the medical professional and be across all the terminology and medications. Even now that we have a diagnosis and a treatment plan in place, I\u2019m always on edge. You can hear Bridgette puffing in her sleep and we never really know what her limit is or what creates the flare ups. If she\u2019s struggling is it because she\u2019s pushed herself too much or is it the cold weather or is she getting sick? As the parent, the onus is on you to constantly monitor your child and notice any changes.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"align\":\"center\",\"id\":9634,\"width\":362,\"height\":376,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"className\":\"is-style-rounded\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Bridgette-V2-1-986x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9634\" width=\"362\" height=\"376\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>While the day-to-day challenges remained&nbsp;and&nbsp;many questions&nbsp;were still unanswered, for Bec\u2019s family, there was hope on the horizon.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cWith rare lung disease in children, while our family and friends are supportive, sometimes it's hard to explain the condition and the impact on our lives and it\u2019s hard for others to relate to. Being able to access support through Lung Foundation Australia and connect with other families who understand what we\u2019re going through has been massive.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cIt gives you strength. They can relate to when you\u2019re having a bad day,&nbsp;to&nbsp;the frustrations of having to be in hospital&nbsp;and how much of an impact this&nbsp;whole thing&nbsp;has&nbsp;on your whole family and your own emotional and mental wellbeing.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cAs the parent, the hardest part is you\u2019ve got to stay strong&nbsp;all the time.&nbsp;You\u2019re&nbsp;always the one there in the early hours and all hours of the night trying to look after your child that\u2019s sick but also keep everything else running in the background.&nbsp;It\u2019s such a huge support having people who you can relate to&nbsp;and they appreciate and understand&nbsp;what you\u2019re going through.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"align\":\"center\",\"id\":9638,\"width\":337,\"height\":337,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"className\":\"is-style-rounded\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/bec-and-brig.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9638\" width=\"337\" height=\"337\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Bec hopes&nbsp;more&nbsp;families will be able to connect with the services and support that have helped make the future a little brighter for her family.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cTo all the parents and grandparents out there&nbsp;and&nbsp;anyone who has someone that they love that has a lung condition,&nbsp;know that you are not alone. We are here, you may not have found us yet but when you do,&nbsp;we will be there to support you through the process.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cWe might be hard to find sometimes because we\u2019re rare, but we are here and we would love to hear from you, so please get in contact with Lung Foundation Australia and we will welcome you and send you lots of love.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"align\":\"center\",\"id\":9636,\"width\":409,\"height\":409,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"className\":\"is-style-rounded\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Bridgette-heart-1-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9636\" width=\"409\" height=\"409\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:separator {\"customColor\":\"#fec110\"} -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fec110;color:#fec110\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"align\":\"center\",\"level\":4} -->\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center\">Australian children with rare lung disease deserve a brighter future. You can help Lung Foundation Australia provide life-changing resources and support services and create a brighter future for&nbsp;these children and their families.&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:buttons {\"align\":\"center\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons aligncenter\"><!-- wp:button {\"customBackgroundColor\":\"#491b62\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/donate\/\" style=\"background-color:#491b62\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donate today<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:button --><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:buttons -->\n\n<!-- wp:social-links {\"align\":\"center\"} -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links aligncenter\"><!-- wp:social-link {\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/lungfoundation\\\/\",\"service\":\"facebook\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:social-link {\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/Lungfoundation\",\"service\":\"twitter\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:social-link {\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/lungfoundation\\\/?hl=en\",\"service\":\"instagram\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:social-link {\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/6630991\\\/admin\\\/\",\"service\":\"linkedin\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:social-link {\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/thelungfoundation\\\/\",\"service\":\"youtube\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:social-link \/--><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:social-links -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","post_title":"Bridgette\u2019s story","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"bridgettes-story","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-07-31 14:26:14","post_modified_gmt":"2020-07-31 04:26:14","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/?post_type=story&#038;p=9631","menu_order":0,"post_type":"story","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":9647,"post_author":"85","post_date":"2020-07-28 10:50:16","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-28 00:50:16","post_content":"<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4>As told by&nbsp;his mother, Natalie&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>As Natalie reflects on the&nbsp;terrifying and exhausting journey to diagnosis&nbsp;for her son, she recalls being able to hear her baby boy&nbsp;struggling to&nbsp;breathe&nbsp;from across the hospital ward.&nbsp;Josh was about 8&nbsp;months&nbsp;old when he started getting sick. It coincided with&nbsp;him beginning&nbsp;day care, so&nbsp;initially Natalie didn\u2019t&nbsp;think much of it.&nbsp;When dozens of courses of antibiotics provided no relief,&nbsp;the mother-of-one knew something wasn\u2019t right.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cHe was admitted to the ICU&nbsp;and&nbsp;we spent a month in and out of hospital.&nbsp;At times he&nbsp;could hardly breathe, he was always&nbsp;coughing and vomiting&nbsp;and often had temperatures&nbsp;over 40. At one point his entire body was swelling up and he was so sick he could hardly move or breathe.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"align\":\"center\",\"id\":9649,\"width\":269,\"height\":358,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"className\":\"is-style-rounded\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Josh-2-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9649\" width=\"269\" height=\"358\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cFinally, the doctors told me they suspected he had an immune deficiency&nbsp;and&nbsp;it was likely he had suffered lung and liver damage after all his body had been through. Over the next two weeks I spent most of my time trying to get my head around what all of this meant.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Four months after he&nbsp;was first hospitalised,&nbsp;Natalie\u2019s precious boy&nbsp;was diagnosed with&nbsp;a rare lung disease,&nbsp;Bronchiolitis Obliterans.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cIt was devastating.&nbsp;Needless to&nbsp;say,&nbsp;I&nbsp;spent a lot of time reading up on his new diagnosis, however I found it very difficult to obtain much information about the condition, especially in children.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cOur healthcare team and the hospital staff have been amazing over the years, but they\u2019re all still learning&nbsp;so&nbsp;there&nbsp;is&nbsp;lots&nbsp;of trial and error, especially when it comes to the correct dosage and administration method of antibiotics during flare-ups. Josh doesn\u2019t qualify for&nbsp;additional support at school and&nbsp;as&nbsp;he\u2019s&nbsp;often fatigued during the day&nbsp;he&nbsp;struggles&nbsp;in&nbsp;class and&nbsp;has fallen behind. We\u2019re&nbsp;looking into&nbsp;accessing&nbsp;occupational&nbsp;therapy&nbsp;privately as the public waitlist is extensive&nbsp;and access psychological support through the private system to help him.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"align\":\"center\",\"id\":9651,\"width\":251,\"height\":335,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"className\":\"is-style-rounded\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Josh-4-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9651\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cJosh\u2019s&nbsp;medication requirements&nbsp;and weekly infusions are a real challenge.&nbsp;He\u2019s still so young and&nbsp;hates to take his medication. Over the years he has&nbsp;developed&nbsp;a&nbsp;needle phobia and fear of medical procedures&nbsp;in general.&nbsp;We&nbsp;also&nbsp;have to really monitor his food consumption to make sure he\u2019s getting the nutrition he needs to support his body.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>As the family settled into their new norm,&nbsp;the ever-gnawing question, \u201cwhat will Josh\u2019s future look like?\u201d,&nbsp;played on&nbsp;Natalie\u2019s mind so she&nbsp;turned to Facebook to try and connect with others in similar situations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cThrough social media I connected with&nbsp;some&nbsp;incredible women who have been advocating for&nbsp;their&nbsp;children with rare lung disease&nbsp;and other&nbsp;Australian families impacted. It&nbsp;was&nbsp;there that&nbsp;I connected with&nbsp;Lung Foundation&nbsp;Australia and became involved with&nbsp;the&nbsp;Young Lungs&nbsp;program,&nbsp;which is helping&nbsp;families like ours&nbsp;find resources, help and support.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Josh&nbsp;has a long journey&nbsp;ahead,&nbsp;but Natalie,&nbsp;who&nbsp;describes the now six-year-old as an incredibly resilient and happy boy,&nbsp;knows she\u2019s not alone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"align\":\"center\",\"id\":9653,\"width\":287,\"height\":382,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"className\":\"is-style-rounded\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/20191110_053509504_iOS-1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9653\" width=\"287\" height=\"382\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cJosh\u2019s diseases are&nbsp;invisible&nbsp;but they are constantly there; if you walked past him on the street you would have no idea about his silent struggle with rare disease. The constant medication, side effects, needles, breathlessness, wheezing, cough, fatigue, appointments, hospitalisations, and tests; but he doesn\u2019t let any of that hold him back.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cThere is a lot of fear there but being able to talk to other families who understand what you\u2019re going through is&nbsp;so good.&nbsp;I see other lung families in their struggle trying to navigate systems, systems that I am only just learning how to navigate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cI joined the Young Lungs&nbsp;group&nbsp;hoping to be able to help other families find that information and support that is so vital,&nbsp;especially in the first stages of diagnosis. Lung&nbsp;Foundation&nbsp;Australia&nbsp;has made massive headway in this area and I am so happy to have been a part of it.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cIt is so important for people to understand that they are not alone and don\u2019t have to go through this journey by themselves. Reach out, connect, ask for support and know that it\u2019s okay to struggle, it\u2019s okay to cry and have meltdowns, it\u2019s okay to want a \u2018normal life\u2019 for your child. It\u2019s okay to get sick of the hospital visits and the medication battles and the utter terrifying thoughts that enter your mind on an almost daily basis. But also know that you are so strong, stronger than you ever knew you could be you are not&nbsp;alone&nbsp;and your child is a superhero, ask the questions, keep battling and connect.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"align\":\"center\",\"id\":9659,\"width\":357,\"height\":286,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"className\":\"is-style-rounded\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img src=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Joshv2-1-1024x821.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9659\" width=\"357\" height=\"286\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"align\":\"center\",\"level\":4} -->\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center\">Australian children with rare lung disease deserve a brighter future. You can help Lung Foundation Australia provide life-changing resources and support services and create a brighter future for&nbsp;these children and their families.&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:buttons {\"align\":\"center\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons aligncenter\"><!-- wp:button {\"customBackgroundColor\":\"#491b62\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/donate\/\" style=\"background-color:#491b62\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donate today<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:button --><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:buttons -->\n\n<!-- wp:social-links {\"align\":\"center\"} -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links aligncenter\"><!-- wp:social-link {\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/wordpress.org\",\"service\":\"wordpress\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:social-link {\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/lungfoundation\\\/\",\"service\":\"facebook\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:social-link {\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/Lungfoundation\",\"service\":\"twitter\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:social-link {\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/lungfoundation\\\/?hl=en\",\"service\":\"instagram\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:social-link {\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/Lungfoundation\",\"service\":\"linkedin\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:social-link {\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/thelungfoundation\\\/videos?view_as=subscriber\",\"service\":\"youtube\"} \/--><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:social-links -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","post_title":"Josh\u2019s story","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"joshs-story-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-07-31 14:26:00","post_modified_gmt":"2020-07-31 04:26:00","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/?post_type=story&#038;p=9647","menu_order":0,"post_type":"story","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}]}],"subtitle":"Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease","disable_header_overlay":false},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6858"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6858\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9706,"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6858\/revisions\/9706"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1669"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6725"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lungfoundation.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}