Bedsores - any advice please?

[Chottie]

We've been told that because of lack of movement LO (5 months) could get bedsores (pressure sores). We are looking for something to go in the buggy / under the playmat to prevent this - any recommendations? It needs to be washable too.

If your child is at risk of bedsores you are entitled to proper support! You should have a Tissue Viability Nurse (TVN) who can come to your home and assess the buggy, playmat, and any other surfaces and supply pressure relief. Ask your GP to refer (terrible that they haven't already).

TV research moves quickly, so you are really better off getting the professional advice as on here you will most likely get outdated advice, like using fleeces (don't do this). Pretty much all pressure relieving surfaces prescribed by the NHS are washable, though, don't worry about that. We even have a sleep system that is coated in silver ions (antibacterial).

Thank you

My friend is a community child health nurse (a bit like district nurses, but for kids not adults) and does all the prevention and nursing work for children who aren't in hospital, but need more expert stuff than the usual GP practice nurse and ordinary health visitor can do. She does order the special cushions/ mattresses/ mats etc as above.

She also does things like keeping stomach feeding tubes healthy, choosing urine catheter systems, helping parents keep their child's fits controlled, having arguments with nurseries who are scared to take a child with an allergy-epipen need. I think anyone can refer a child to her, providing they 'need' her help, iyswim. Just wanted to say its not the same system wherever you live, but your child should' get' the right service to stop bedsores, by whatever route.

i don't think there are many (any?) permanent TV nurses here even for adults really, and nothing for anyone who isn't over about 100 years old or is in hospital with a major set of bedsores already. postcode lottery?

Great perspective there from C&D. Agree that services always differ across the country. Should have known that anything good would be rare!