During rounds, a child on chest physiotherapy for eight days shows increased aeration and ambulation; what should the specialist recommend?

• A. Discontinue therapy
• B. Decrease the frequency to BID
• C. Vibratory PEP therapy
• D. Autogenic drainage

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that chest physiotherapy is used to help clear secretions and improve ventilation when the lungs aren’t aerating well. If rounds show that aeration has improved and the child can ambulate, ventilation is effectively restoring on their own and airway clearance is adequate without aggressive intervention. In this situation, continuing chest physiotherapy offers little additional benefit and could cause unnecessary fatigue or irritation. The best course is to discontinue chest physiotherapy and support natural airway clearance through regular activity, hydration, and routine monitoring, with the plan to reassess if symptoms recur or worsen.