ResMed Pixi Pediatric Mask Instruction Manual
- June 3, 2024
- ResMed
Table of Contents
ResMed Pixi™ Pediatric Mask Instruction Manual
Welcome to Pixi’s world
Your guide to getting the most out of your child’s therapy
Welcome to Pixi’s world
It’s completely natural that you would be feeling somewhat anxious about your child starting therapy. We at ResMed would like to reassure you that you’re not alone; we are here to offer information, understanding and compassion to help make this journey as smooth as possible—for you and the child in your care. There are thousands of children who, like your child, need to wear a mask at night.
The Pixi Pediatric Mask was designed by a team of caring individuals, who understand that your child’s health and wellbeing are the most important things to you. You can be sure that Pixi is not merely a scaled down adult mask; it is designed especially for children aged 2–7, taking into account their skin sensitivity, facial characteristics and bone structure.
Step by Step
Just like adults, children may initially resist the idea of something new.
To slowly introduce your child to their Pixi mask and the whole idea of therapy, we’ve included some tips you could try to start the journey.
Please note: these are only guidelines and may not suit all families or children.
Feel free to try any other techniques too.
Meet Pixi
- Take some time to explain to your child (no matter how young) what is going on. Children understand what we say much more than we realise. Just as you would explain why your child needs to take a bath or eat dinner before dessert, explain what the mask is used for, why they need to wear it and how much better they will feel in the morning, once they’ve used it all night.
- If you have any older children, give them a special role in this process. It will not only make them feel special and a part of their brother or sister’s therapy journey, it may also help the child on therapy accept therapy. Younger children love to imitate their older siblings!
- Give the mask to your child and allow them to hold it, feel it, play with it, pick it up, throw it down and satisfy their curiosity of it. This will help them become familiar with the mask and put at ease any initial misgivings the child themselves may have about their new friend, Pixi.
Let’s Pretend
Fit the mask on someone or something other than your child: their favourite toy, a stuffed animal or even mum or dad! Children can even pretend that when they wear the mask, they become an astronaut, like Buzz Lightyear, or a fighter pilot. Your child will bring their own individuality to it, so encourage their imagination; it will help put their mind at ease about wearing the mask.
Sleepy Head
- Once you feel your child is comfortable enough with Pixi, you can put it on their face. Try to make the process as calm and relaxed as possible, perhaps when your child is relaxed or ready for a nap.
- It’s natural for both you and your child to feel a little anxious about the first few times they wake up with the mask on, feeling a little disoriented or perhaps a little scared.
- We recommend that for the first few nights, you stay with your child until they fall asleep with the mask on and also be there when they wake up.
- Your support and presence at these times will reassure your child that everything is alright, until they are used to wearing the mask to sleep and it becomes just another part of their bedtime routine. Drink some milk, brush your teeth, read a book, put on your Pixi mask … and sleep.
Rest Assured
ResMed understands your concern about the safety of your child while wearing the mask. You can rest assured that a lot of thought has gone into every part of our Pixi Pediatric Mask to address common safety and comfort issues parents may have.
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Face to face:
Your child’s Pixi mask only covers their nose, so there is no pressure or obstruction around the eyes. Their face is as open as possible, which is comforting to both you and your child. -
Safety first:
All attachment and adjustment points on the mask are positioned away from your child’s face so that they are less likely to tamper with the straps.
The mask is also designed so that there are no small parts that could cause choking or harm. All parts are tethered to the mask and not in the way of the vent or your child’s face or eyes. -
Hear this:
Even though the mask is on your child’s face, it’s designed such that you will still be able to hear your child through the mask if they cry out for you at night.
For your peace of mind, you can use a baby monitor in your child’s room, so you are only a whisper away if your child needs you during the night.
While we’ve designed for safety, children should always be supervised.
Feel free to contact your sleep physician to discuss any further concerns you
may have.
- To encourage older children to keep wearing their mask night after night, praise and encourage them regularly. You can do this verbally as well as by using simple games and activities, just as you might do when toilet training your child or encouraging them to help with chores around the house.
- For instance, draw up a basic chart for the bedroom, where your child earns a sticker for every night she or he wears the mask without complaint!
- You can then have a system, where 10 stickers = a prize!
- This will help keep your child on track with their therapy so they can continue to feel the health benefits. It also lightens up the therapy journey, so you can be free to interact with your child and take the focus off the serious side of therapy every once in a while. After all, children are children and love to have some fun!
Don’t give up!
- We understand that if your child is having difficulty wearing the mask, you may be tempted to give up. But please be patient; the journey is a challenging one even for adults who require therapy, so your child is doing well.
- The changes that being on therapy will make to your child’s health and behaviour are real and definitely worth the effort. As well as effectively treating your child for their condition, you will find that:
- Your child will sleep better at night, which is good for them but also great for you, so you too can get some rest.
- Your child’s general attitude is likely to improve. When your child does not get quality sleep, their body does not rest, repair and rejuvenate properly. This makes them cranky and restless during the day. Once their night time activity improves, you’ll find they are happier during the day … and we’re sure that you will feel the same!
- Your child’s school results may also improve, as their behaviour stabilises during the day.
- It may take some time for your child to feel confident and comfortable about wearing or even liking their mask. But before too long, most children grow to accept, even love their mask because it makes them feel better. Pixi becomes their friend!
If you feel you need further support or assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact your sleep physician—they are there to help you and your child on this journey
Common Concerns
The most common issues that parents face while supporting their child during therapy are comfort, safety and hygiene.
If you are experiencing other issues, please contact your sleep physician; they are there to support you as much as you need.
Comfort and safety
If your child is experiencing marks on their face, it’s possible that the mask is strapped too tightly to their face.
We assure you that our Pixi Pediatric Mask is not merely a scaled down adult mask; it was specifically designed for children’s faces, which are obviously different from adult faces—in bone structure, facial characteristics and skin sensitivity. The cushion is designed to distribute pressure evenly and includes fewer and softer pressure points than adult masks sometimes used for children.
So while you may feel that tightening the mask will better secure it onto your child’s face, it might be too tight and too uncomfortable for your child.
We’ve designed Pixi to be worn comfortably, not tightly. Therapy devices can typically sense if there is any air leaking out of the mask, and will compensate for it automatically. So you don’t need to overtighten the straps on the mask to try to avoid leak.
Our devices do all the hard work, so you don’t have to!
Hygiene
We recommend you disassemble and clean your child’s mask regularly to maintain its quality performance, as well as your child’s hygiene and safety.
Please refer to your Pixi Pediatric Mask User Guide for more specific directions on cleaning and caring for your mask.
All the Best
We hope the information contained in this booklet has helped to ease your mind about starting your child on therapy.
If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to contact your sleep physician; they will be able to provide you with all the support you need.
From all of us at ResMed, we wish you and your family the very best on this journey .
Bring Pixi to Life!
Let your child colour in Pixi however they like!
Good night sleep tight wake up bright in the morning light to do what’s right with all your might
Manufacturer: ResMed Pty Ltd 1 Elizabeth Macarthur Drive Bella Vista NSW 2153 Australia. Distributed by: ResMed Corp 9001 Spectrum Center Boulevard San Diego CA 92123 USA. ResMed (UK) Ltd 96 Milton Park Abingdon Oxfordshire OX14 4RY UK. See www.resmed.com for other ResMed locations worldwide. Pixi is a trademark of ResMed. Breathoprene is a trademark of AccuMED Technologies, Inc. Specifications may change without notice. © 2011 ResMed. 1014128/1 2011-03