After Clearing a Blocked Trach Tube: How to Care for Your Child

Tracheostomy tubes need to be cleared when they have a partial or total blockage. This needs to be done to keep the airway open.

Tracheostomy ("trach") tubes sometimes get blocked with thick mucus or other material. When this happens, it is hard for a child to get enough air into the airway (trachea) during breathing. A child with a blocked trach tube can have a hard time breathing or may not be able to breathe at all.

The care team suctioned the trach tube and cleared the blockage. Your child is breathing normally now and can safely go home. Regular suctioning of your child's trach tube and doing things to thin your child's mucus can help prevent future blocked trach tubes.

• Follow the care team's instructions for how often to do regular trach tube suctioning.

• Also suction when:

  • Your child's breathing is noisy, heavy, or quick.

  • Your child is coughing.

  • The skin around your child's trach sucks in.

  • Your child's skin is pale or lips are bluish.

  • Your child has trouble eating or is fussy.

• Watch closely for changes in mucus thickness and color whenever you suction.

• To help keep mucus thin:

  • Give your child plenty of liquids.

  • Use a heated humidifier and/or heat-moisture exchanger (HME) with your child's trach tube as instructed by your care team.

  • Your care team may tell you to occasionally mist or squirt a small amount of saline (saltwater) into your child's trach tube. If so, follow the directions and schedule given to you by your care team.

• Talk to your health care provider about the best schedule for changing your child's trach tube.

Your child:

• Makes more mucus or thicker mucus.

• Isn't eating as much as usual.

• Works harder at breathing.

• Needs extra oxygen.

• Is cranky or fussier than usual.

• Still has noisy or heavy breathing or pale skin after suctioning.

Your child has 3 or more of these signs:

• Makes more mucus or thicker mucus.

• Isn't eating as much as usual.

• Works harder at breathing.

• Needs extra oxygen.

• Is cranky or fussier than usual.

• Still has noisy or heavy breathing or pale skin after suctioning.

Do the emergency procedures the care team taught you and call 911 if:

• Your child's heart rate or oxygen level goes down.

• Your child can't breathe.

• You have trouble waking your child.

• Talk to members of your care team (such as your social worker, case manager, home health nurse, or home respiratory therapist) about any changes to your child's care plan.

• It can be stressful when your child has a health emergency. Be sure to get the extra emotional support you might need.