What Is an Incentive Spirometer?
An incentive spirometer is a hand-held device that helps people to take slow, deep breaths. It's like exercise equipment for the lungs to keep them strong and working well.
Why Do People Need an Incentive Spirometer?
Breathing deeply helps get enough air into the lungs so they inflate as much as possible. Breathing slowly helps inflate all areas of the lungs, not just part of them.
When kids don't breathe deeply enough, fluid and germs can build up in the lungs. This may cause infections like pneumonia.
Using an incentive spirometer (spy-ROM-eh-tur) helps kids who are healing from surgery. Because kids are resting more than usual, they don't breathe in as deeply as they normally do. After chest surgery or spine surgery, some kids find it hurts to breathe in. They may take shallow breaths that don't fill their lungs with enough air.
Kids with conditions that can affect the lungs, like sickle cell disease and cystic fibrosis, might use an incentive spirometer to treat or prevent problems.
How Does an Incentive Spirometer Work?
An incentive spirometer is made of hollow, clear plastic. It has a tube with a mouthpiece attached.
