Respiratory Management Following Spinal Cord Injury: What You Should Know has
just been published by the Consortium of Spinal Cord Medicine. It's a must-read for people with any sort of respiratory complication. This consumer-friendly guide is the companion book to the clinical practice guideline Respiratory Management Following SCI.
The guide is written and reviewed by medical experts and covers treatments and management of respiratory function for caregivers and family members. You can
download it free. It is also available in printed form.
From the intro: "This guide will answer many of the questions about respiratory health that may arise after a spinal cord injury. It will describe a variety of specialized treatments that people who have sustained a spinal cord injury may require to accommodate their respiratory needs.
"Additionally, it is hoped that this guide will reassure people who are newly injured or have ongoing difficulties with breathing post-injury that there are safe and reliable methods available for dealing with these difficulties. It is always important for a person with SCI and their caregivers to talk with their doctors, nurses, and therapists to make sure all questions are answered satisfactorily."
The Consortium, funded by the Paralyzed Veterans of America, comprises members from the leading professional associations that serve the SCI community. Included on the Steering Committee panel are doctors, nurses, psychologists, occupational and physical therapists and others groups.
The Reeve Foundation is a member of the Consortium.
The Consortium has produced 10 clinical practice guidelines, widely accepted in the medical professions as the definitive guide to medical care for SCI. Seven of the CPGs are accompanied by a consumer version, including these:
Autonomic Dysreflexia: What You Should Know
Expected Outcomes: What You Should Know
Depression: What You Should Know
Neurogenic Bowel: What You Should Know
Pressure Ulcers: What You Should Know
Preservation of Upper Limb Function Following SCI: What You Should Know
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