Homecare Supplies – Adolescents

Supporting your teen with chILD usually means needing to use medical equipment at home. Your medical team will work with a homecare or Durable Medical Equipment (DME) company to make sure the right supplies are ordered for your child. 

Some examples of DME include: 

• Oxygen and monitors 
• Nebulizer machines 
• Suction machines 
• Ventilators or positive pressure machines 
• Feeding tube supplies 

Click ​​here to learn more about homecare supplies common for children with chILD.  

Keeping a current supply list and medicine sheet can be helpful. You can use this to know what supplies need ordered, when they are needed, and how to re-order. We have examples of a ​​supply list and a ​​medication list you can change to work best for your child. 

It is also helpful to notify the power, gas, water, and phone companies that your home has medical supplies and a child with a medical condition. This is important for companies to know in case of power outages or other interruptions in service. 

Choosing a Homecare Company 

The homecare company you’ll use depends on where you live, your child’s insurance coverage, and whether or not they care for children. Some areas may only have one home care company that has equipment for children. Other times, your family may be able to choose which company to use. It is important to work with your medical team to make sure they can give your child what they need. 

Here are some questions to ask before choosing a homecare company

• Are they licensed to care for pediatric patients? Some older teenagers can be cared for by companies that care for adults. 
• Do they serve the county or area where you live? 
• Will supplies be delivered to the home or to the hospital/doctor’s office? 
• Will a trained provider teach you how to use and clean your supplies? 
• Do they stock the needed supplies in the right amount and sizes for your child? 

• How easy is it to get back-up or replacement supplies if needed? 
• Do they make home visits to make sure the home is ready? 
• How often will they visit the home to check on how the equipment is doing? 
• Are they easy to reach outside of business hours? How fast do they respond? 
• How much will your insurance cover and how much will you have to pay out-of-pocket? 
• Will they communicate with your child’s medical team about orders, supplies, and treatment? 

Making Sure Your Home is Ready 

Your medical team will usually work with you and your homecare company to make sure your home is ready for care of your child.  

Here are some of the things that could be considered, depending on your child’s situation: 

• Is there a stable place to live with a phone, electricity, and enough food to eat? 
• Is there an upstairs? Where is your child’s room? How will your child be able to move their equipment up or downstairs?  
• Is there enough room for all of the medical supplies? 
• Do you have the right amount and type of electric outlets? Is the power enough to run the electric supplies full time? 
• Any problems with water in the home? Is there indoor plumbing? Is there hot and cold running water? 
• Any concerns about rodents or insects in the home? 
• Are there smoke alarms and a fire extinguisher? 
• Do you have transportation to get to and from medical appointments? 

Cleaning Homecare Supplies 

Your homecare company should teach you how to use and how to clean your child’s medical supplies. Some items can just be wiped with a soft, damp cloth. Some items need deep cleaning. You’ll need space to clean, dry, and then store supplies. 

Here are 6 good methods of cleaning homecare supplies. Choose the one that works best for you. Keep in mind that all methods aren’t safe for all supplies. Check with your homecare company to make sure the method you choose is safe for your child’s supplies. 

• Boil in water on the stove top for 5 minutes (leaving longer than 5 minutes can cause the supplies to warp and change shape). 
• Microwave in water for 5 minutes (2.45 GHz) 
• Place in top rack of the dishwasher (if water is hotter than 158 degrees F) for 30 minutes. 
• Soak in 70% isopropyl alcohol for 5 minutes. 
• Soak in a mixture of 1 part household bleach and 50 parts water for 3 minutes. 
• Soak in 3% hydrogen peroxide for 30 minutes. 

Air-dry cleaned supplies and store them when fully dry.