Pediatric Portable Pumps

[dawbel]

Hello

Is anyone out there using portable (backpack) enteral pumps for their children? I have a 3 year old who has now been walking 6 months and we are having "fun" with our local PADP about getting him a portable/backpack pump. He currently has to sit and be attached to an IV pole/Kangaroo 624 pump for 1.5 hours at lunch. Locally, our PADP only deal with Tyco who - it appears - dont have a small pump for children (the ePump is too bulky).

Would like to know what others have.

Thanks in advance.

Regards
Belinda Dawson (mum to Alex, 28w, 606g now 3 and Rebecca, 37w, 2795g now 1)

[Gina_n_Moo]

Hi Belinda

We got our portable pump from the US off Ebay. We have since passed it on to another family. PADP we were told, would not supply a portable pump under any circumstances. This is clearly a stupid and isolating policy that needs changing, but there is only so much time in the day for battles, it is not one I have taken up with them.

As an ballpark figure we got a Kangaroo PET pump with a backpack and 50 bags for about $180 including postage from Alaska. You should keep your eye out. We were able to give back our pump to PADP although that messed with their heads for a time as to why we still needed bags - ugh. When it arrived we opened up the electrics and found they have a dual transformer inside so my dad (elec.engineer) was able to simply switch it over to our Aust power requirements and replace the plug with an aussie plug. honestly, it is life changing to have a portable pump.

Another idea if you have no luck is to get a power adapter for your car it plugs into your 12V socket in the car and has an normal Aussie Power tranformer plug outlet so then you could plug the 'non portable' pump into the car if that helped at all.

At the end of the day we just went to gravity feeds which my son liked better. I am still trying to find/develop a better method for that and have written to some manufacturers in the UK who might have some clever insights for me.
Good luck
Gina
sandgburns@bigpond.com

[Alison Kennedy]

Hi Belinda

If Alex is using a formula obtained from Nutricia or Abbott, these companies give out their ambulatory pumps free of charge.
The consumables can be obtained from Enable (your PADP has now transferred their services over) and they will need a prescribers letter requesting the equipment and reason for its need.

Tyco no longer sell the PET pump but recommend the 'Joey' kangaroo pump as an alternative.

Regards

Alison

[dawbel]

Hello All

Thanks for your responses and sorry for the delay in replying. I'm happy to report that a local charity came forward to help purchase the consumables for an Abbott Companion Clearstar portable pediatric pump a few months ago. This was after our local PADP rejected our application. [We were quite upset to be told that a pump that must be mounted on an IV pole is "portable" because it has a battery.... tell that to a now-walking/running 3 year old!]

After crossing over to EnableNSW recently we have also been told that we DO qualify for a portable pediatric pump and they will fund the consumables hereon in for the Abbott pump. How great! I've already managed to get 'out and about' more with the kids - I can put the pump in the bottom of the pram and head off for a big walk. Live changing.

Take care
Regards
Belinda (mum to Alex, 28w, 606g now 3.5 yr and Rebecca, 37w, 2795g now 18m)

[admin]

Hey Belinda,
That is great news... rather have you able to be out and about than lots of time to be online.
Hope everything keeps going well.
Thanks for sharing the info about how you got the good outcome... perhaps it can be useful for others as well.

Kind thoughts

Lyn