Jag Roma

IV or intravenous (in-trah-VEE-nus) therapy is a way to give fluids, medicine, nutrition, or blood directly into the blood stream through a vein. IV therapy uses a type of tiny plastic tubing (cannula) that goes into the vein, a needle, and plastic tubing that connects the set-up to a bag of fluid. All together, the pieces are called an “IV.”

IV fluid often contains water, glucose (sugar), and electrolytes (potassium, sodium, and chloride). An IV may allow more than one fluid to be given at the same time and into the same place (Picture 1).

Your doctor will decide what type of fluid your child needs, the amount, and how fast (flow rate) it is given. The decision is based on your child’s weight and condition.

At first, you may feel awkward when you hold your baby. It will get easier very quickly.

A machine called an infusion pump controls how much fluid goes into your child’s vein each hour (Picture 3). The IV tubing is threaded through the pump. The pump is programmed to the speed (flow rate) needed to give your child the right amount of fluid. If the flow rate changes, the machine senses it and sounds an alarm. This alarm alerts the nurse to correct the flow rate.

The nurses will check on your child every hour whether awake or asleep. They will touch, look, and compare the IV site to the other arm, leg, or side of the scalp to make sure that there are no problems. The two most common problems are:

Be sure to call the nurse if:

When your child no longer needs the IV, the nurse will remove the tape and take out the cannula. Peeling off the tape will feel like taking off a Band-Aid®. Your child may feel a little pinch when the cannula is pulled out.

If you have any questions, please ask the nurse or doctor.

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