Who can take part?
The inclusion criteria allow for the largest number of participants available to be involved. The exclusion criteria, ensure that co-morbidities will interfere with the accuracy of the data and that infant care will remain the priority.
Inclusion Criteria
- Infant's age less than or equal to 12 months
- CDH diagnosis
- Parents/guardians given informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria
- Infants with associated anomalies that would directly affect postnatal outcome.
- Infants with associated diseases or conditions compromising the cardiorespiratory system other than CDH.
- Infants with fragile skin conditions at risk of skin breakdown from the EIT belt.
Parents will be given up to 24 hours to consider inclusion into the study.
What is involved for you?
The research project will use different pieces of equipment to see how the air moves to different parts of the lungs when babies with CDH breath, and how this pattern is changed when placed in different positions.
Participating babies will be placed in different positions including on their stomach, on their back or on their side during the study period.
Regular position changes are part of usual care for a baby with CDH and the baby's medical and nursing care will not be affected or changed by being involved in this research.