The value of a home treatment programme for paediatric patients with respiratory disorders

Abstract

To establish the efficacy of a home treatment programme, two groups of short-term patients, aged 1 month -11 years, hospitalised for complications of respiratory disorders or chronic respiratory disorders, were studied. Both groups received intensive physiotherapy during hospitalisation, but only in the experimental group were parents counselled and a home treatment programme taught. On comparing readmission figures for the experimental and control groups, there was a statistically significant difference at both 5% and 1% levels, using the chi-square test.