Table 4.

Desensitization procedure for infants and school-aged children

Daytime Practice	Nighttime Practice
Introducing the mask The child and parent play together with the mask and machine. The parent puts the PAP on a stuffed animal, doll, themselves, etc Place the mask (not attached to the hose/ machine) on your child’s face for 5 s Place the mask (not attached to the hose/ machine) on your child’s face for 10 s Place the mask (not attached to the hose/ machine) on your child’s face for 1 min Place the mask on your child’s face and connect the headgear on both sides for 1 min Repeat above step, slowly increasing the amount of time your child wears the mask and headgear each practice session	Adjusting to the sounds at night While your child is going through desensitization practice during the day, begin turning on the PAP machine at night without attaching it to your child so he/she can get used to the noise
Turning on the air Place the mask and headgear on your child; attach the hose to the mask and to the machine, and turn the air on for 5 s Repeat above step, slowly increasing the amount of time each practice session Wearing the mask with airflow while lying down Have your child lie down on the bed or couch. Place the mask (attached to the hose and both sides of the cap) on your child’s face for 5 min Have your child lie down on the bed or couch. Place the mask (attached to the hose and both sides of the cap) on your child’s face for 10 min Have your child lie down on the bed or couch. Place the mask (attached to the hose and both sides of the cap) for your child’s face or 15 min	Making PAP part of your child’s bedtime routine Add PAP to your child’s bedtime routine. Have your child try to fall asleep after you place the mask (attached to the hose on both sides of the cap) on the face and the air is turned on for 15 min Continue nightly until your child is able to fall asleep with PAP. If your child cannot fall asleep with PAP, do 15 min of practice Continue daytime practice and bedtime practice until your child is able to fall asleep with PAP on and sleep with it for most of the night. Replace PAP at night if it falls off or is removed

Abbreviation: PAP, positive airway pressure.

Adapted from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. CPAP education: noninvasive ventilation for infants and children. 2013. Available at: http://www.chop.edu/service/sleep-center/cpap-education/non-invasive-ventilation-for-infants-and-children.html. Accessed November 25, 2013; with permission.