Acceptability and Feasibility of a New Postural Management Night-time Intervention to Improve Respiratory Health of Children With Complex Neuro-disability

The intervention involves positioning children safely on their fronts using pillows to support the body under the shoulder and hip, and with the head slightly lowered so that gravity can help drain secretions from the mouth. This is different to current night-time positioning recommendations of either lying children on their backs or side. The new intervention also involves, where possible, the draining of children's stomach contents overnight via an existing feeding tube to prevent aspiration of stomach contents. The investigators will work closely with 10 children with complex neuro-disability and their families, and health professionals as investigators introduce this new night-time intervention. The investigators will make observations about children's respiratory and sleep outcomes before and after making changes. The investigators will make comparisons using questionnaires, sleep diaries, records of antibiotic use and hospital admissions. The investigators will collect this information before making any changes, at 3 months after the intervention has been established and after 6 months when the study ends. The investigators will talk to children, parents, carers and relevant health professionals to find out what they think and feel about the new intervention, including any issues/challenges that occurred. The investigators will record how many children and families were approached to take part in the study. The investigators will record how many agreed to take part, how many chose to leave half way through and how many said they did not want to take part in the study. Families who discontinued or who declined the intervention will be given opportunity to provide feedback confidentially. The investigators will use the findings to decide whether it is feasible and acceptable to children and families to run a research trial of this new night-time intervention. The data will help us to design a future research trial.