Effect of Neurophysiological Facilitation of Respiration on Blood Gases and Hospital Stay in Children With Pneumonia

Effect of Neurophysiological Facilitation of Respiration on Blood Gases and Duration of Hospitalization in Children With Pneumonia

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effect of respiratory neurophysiological facilitation techniques on arterial blood gases, the severity of respiratory illness and duration of hospital stay in hospitalized children with pneumonia.

Children who were hospitalized with a clinically and radiologically confirmed diagnosis of pneumonia will participate in this study. Selected Patients will be randomly assigned into two groups of equal number.

One group will only receive conventional chest physical therapy program in form of (postural drainage, chest percussion, vibration and suction if needed). The other group will receive conventional chest physical therapy program along with respiratory neurophysiological facilitation techniques in form of (anterior basal lift, intercostal stretch, abdominal co-contraction).

All patients will receive the treatment program once a day for successive 5 days.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children of both sexes, with age ranged from 6 months to 2 years old.
• All children diagnosed with pneumonia.
• All children should be vitally stable during the study period.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Medically unstable children.
• Children with uncontrolled convulsions.
• Children with Osteopenia.