Children's compression
Children with lymphedema will need to wear different types of compression
garments throughout their life.
It is important that parents and carers pave the way to independence based on well-founded specialist knowledge and personal body awareness. Compression should be something positive, not a daily fight! Depending on the competence of the child, these are some tips to encourage the child to wear their garments or have bandages applied.
Please use our do's and dont's tips
Recommended, do!
- Explain lymphedema and the need for compression in a child-friendly manner.
- Create a routine to make the treatment part of their normal life.
- Make it a team effort between the carer(s) and the child to manage the lymphedema.
- Give the child a sense of ownership of their self-management such as rolling up bandages.
- Make bandaging fun by helping them bandage their favourite cuddly toy or doll – or another family member.
- Make compression fun and fashionable. Examples include, allowing the child to choose their favourite colour of garment, applying stickers, and using colourful tape to secure the bandages.
- Connect with other families with children with lymphedema for support and to create a sense of normality for the child.
- Consider involving social networks (i.e., school, recreational activity groups) and share information about lymphedema and compression with them.
- Reach out to your patient association for support.
- Don‘t put additional pressure on the child. Show understanding by saying: "I can understand that you don't feel like it today".
- Don’t allow the lymphedema to progress by not wearing adequate compression.
Please join us to put compression #underpressure
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