NURSES Maree DeSylva and Jane Gauci have hit upon a colourful idea to get the message sleep apnoea across to children. The two clinical nurses at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead co-wrote the delightful book The Special Mask which helps children to learn about sleeping disorders and how to deal with it. Ms DeSylva said it has taken them a long time to get the well-illustrated book published and thanked the Sherwood Ridge Public School for their big fundraising efforts. The school raised more than $1,000 towards the publishing costs with the authors rewarding them by launching the book at its Kellyville campus.
Titled The Special Mask, the book has been created to help alleviate some of the anxiety and stress children face while undergoing Continuous Positive Airway Pressure initiation that introduces them into wearing the mask they need to breathe safely at night.
The book’s creation and publication was largely funded by Sherwood Ridge Public School, Ms DeSylva said. “Their efforts were also supported with fundraising by The Children’s Hospital at Westmead’s Volunteers department.”
The Special Mask is about a caterpillar called Charlie, who has sleep apnoea. His parents take him to see Dr Magdy Mouse, who recommends CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). A nurse butterfly comes to see Charlie, and CPAP is initiated.
“The story closely follows the model of care used for CPAP initiation in the home setting and is hoped to help the 150 children who are seen at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead each year have a more positive experience when adjusting to treatment at home,” Ms DeSylva said. “The hospital’s In The Home department has the first team in Australia to initiate paediatric CPAP initiation in the home environment”.
Year 5 student Parisha Prasad, a patient of The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, read the book during the launch.
The book, which is illustrated by Emma Stewart, is distributed free.
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