Care of the Child With a Chronic Tracheostomy

Abstract

Children with a chronic tracheostomy constitute an important subgroup of children who are at risk for potentially devastating airway compromise. There have been no standards published for their care and disappointingly little research. The Pediatric Assembly of the American Thoracic Society funded a working group with input from the disciplines of pediatric pulmonology, pediatric surgery, pediatric otolaryngology, respiratory therapy, speech pathology, and nursing to develop a consensus statement regarding their care. This statement has been reviewed and revised by the committee members, who concur with its recommendations. Many of the recommendations are by consensus in the absence of scientific data, and suggestions are made for areas of research.