Christopher Hartnick, MD and Kevin Callans, RN Pediatric ENT at MGHfC/MEEI

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A nurse: The hardest part about caring for a child at home with a trach is that it’s 24/7

A pediatric nurse and ENT surgeon talk about the daily realities that go along with a child having a trach: the child can never be left alone – the trach could come out or get plugged; people have to be trained in the event of an emergency. “The scariest part about caring for a child with a trach is that the child could die and the parents know it and the parents are worried it can be their fault.” The fear is real. It forces you to reconfigure your life.