Sucking off mucus

Question

In the Czech Republic, it is common, to suck off mucus in children, who are still too small to cough up their mucus themselves. I read this in the internet. Our CF center did not talk about this once. My son is 14 months old, we inhale 3 times a day with 3% saline solution plus 3 drops salbutamol. Is this a common treatment in Germany, too?

Answer

Dear questioner,
sucking off mucus is not a very comfortable method to get it out of the airways. This should only be done under certain circumstances. It is more gentle, to do inhalations, as you do it. It is important, that you inhale salbutamol (in 2ml of 0,9% saline solution) about 30 minutes before the 3% saline solution. Salbuatmol widens the airways. After 30 minutes, the inhaled 3%saline solution can then reach the small airways better. As you know, the 3% saline solution helps to make the mucus more fluid. It is optimal, to have airway physiotherapy done directly after inhalation, in order to bring the mucus out of the airways. Does your child get special physiotherapy for the airways? There are physiotherapists, who are specialized in CF. They can direct you optimally, how to bring up the mucus out of the airways from your child.
Your CF center can probably recommend someone near your home or the German patient organiszation (https://muko.info/) can tell you someone. These specialzed physiotherapists can show you exercises for doing them at home. Please discuss also a rehabilitation measure in case it should be difficult to find a CF spezialzed physiotherapist near your home. You are optimally cared during a CF specific rehabilitation stay. You are shown techniques how you can mobilize the mucus of your child optimally daily at home.
I hope to have helped you further. lease talk to your CF center physician about these possibilities.
Best regards,

PD Dr. Sabina Schmitt-Grohé

17.07.2017