Endotracheal intubation places a soft plastic tube through the mouth, or sometimes the nose, into the windpipe so that a ventilator can support breathing. It is used when a child cannot breathe well alone, when the airway is at risk or during resuscitation. In a pediatric intensive care unit in Mumbai, tube sizes are chosen by age and weight.

The doctor gives medicines to make the child comfortable and relaxed, positions the head carefully and passes the tube under direct vision. The position is checked by listening to the chest, by monitoring carbon dioxide and by chest X-ray. The child then receives sedation and pain relief while the ventilator is used. Parents may see a child with a tube and monitors, and the team explains what each one does.

How the Procedure Can Help

It secures the airway, delivers oxygen reliably and gives the lungs time to recover.

Risks and Considerations

Risks include a temporary fall in oxygen, injury to the mouth or airway, tube displacement, aspiration and, later, lung infection or airway swelling after removal. The tube is taken out as soon as the child can breathe safely.