How do you change a ileostomy on an infant? what is involved?

Im applying for a teachers assistant job and it involves looking after a young child with Hirschsprungs disease. I will be expected to change the childs bag. they have said i would be trained but I would like to find out exactly what it involves before i go to the interview. I ve learnt about what the disease is like but have know idea about the ileostomy!

Any one had experience or can give me some advise would be very grateful!

When you first see a stoma it can take some getting used to. To touch it it just feels like the inside of your mouth. It often bleeds when you touch it but this is a sign it is healthy.
Changing the bag very much depends on what kind of bag is used.
My baby had a 2 piece. First off you need to get togethor everything you need. This includes cutting the hole in the flange to the exact size of the stoma, too big and poo gets on the skin and makes it sore, too small and it can strangle the stoma.To change it I just peeled the whole of the old one carefully away. I cleaned the skin with plain water and a disposable wipe. If there was any sticky stuff left from the adhesive from the old bag I used adhesive remover wipes to take it off.
I then applied cavlon which acts like artificial skin so the skin under the bag does not get sore. I then carefully fitted the flange over the stoma. The bag then fitted over the flange. All going well I would not have to change the flange for 3 days. I simply needed to peel off the bag, wipe and reapply a new one quickly.

The real trick to changing an infants bag is how to keep them occupied whilst you are doing it. It is bad enough having to change a nappy on a wriggly toddler let alone a bag. Usually a favourite toy helps and lots of distraction.

I am sure you will have no problem with it all. You will be shown exactly how the parent likes it all to be done and they won't just leave you to it if you are unsure.

Good luck in your new job.

Just wanted to add that as the stoma is a waste pipe the whole thing does not need to be done as a sterile procedure. Just use common sense like washing hands.

It depends on if you have to change the bag or the back plate. To change the bag is simple enough as it is turn and click motion to attatch the bag to the backplate. To change the backplate you use a spray to loosen the adhesieve and then make sure the skin is clean and dry before applying the new backplate. The 3 most important points are to make sure the apatures are cut to the correct size, that no waste comes in contact with the childs skin and that you complete this procedure in as sterile enviroment as possible

theres 2types of bags there is a one piece system and a two piece system there both drainable by undoing the tie or clip at the bottom and emptying it you can get bags that you throw away when you've finished with them or some are reuseable.
one piece bags are disposable(dont try flush them down the toilet though) there literally just a one piece bag where the wafer (the part that attaches the bag to your skin) and the bag itself are all in one and cant be pulled apart.
two piece systems mean the wafer and the bag are separate and are joined together by whats known as a "tupperware-type ring" on the wafer.the wafer is meant to stay put for a while and the only thing that you need to is the bag itself - just attach the new bag to the wafer.
its not that hard to put on the bag make sure your hands are clean and wear gloves empty the bag first by undoing the tie/clip at the bottom (if its a one piece system all you have to do now is retie the bag and your finished) when your removing the bag place one hand on the childs stomach and pull the bag off carefully with the other hand then with wet wipes/tissues clean the area(only use each wipe once) make sure the area is dry before putting the bag back on the child might like you to put some powder around it to get rid of the smell or some people carry a little bottle of spray designed especially for it.
if you go to www.ostomates.org/liz/liz.html there is a video which shows you how to do it exactly good luck!