Effects of Pediatric Chest Physical Therapy in Terms of Ventilatory Mechanics

Squeezing promotes sputum clearance by increasing tidal volume and expiratory flow rate. Although its use on children has become more widespread in recent years, few reports have been published evaluating the results of pediatric chest physical therapy in terms of pulmonary function. In this study, the pulmonary function of children in the acute phase of respiratory disorders undergoing squeezing was measured continuously, and the results analyzed in terms of ventilatory mechanics. The results revealed that Vt and Ti increased in all cases compared with prior to squeezing. No correlation was observed, however, between the increase in Vt and Ti, PEF or PIF. It was confirmed that squeezing produces a smoother change in flow rate than techniques in which inspiration and expiration are performed consciously. The smooth changes in flow rate indicate that squeezing is an effective technique for children in the acute phase of respiratory diseases. Further objective evaluation of squeezing is necessary to establish it as a safe and effective technique for different clinical conditions.