Assessing the Impact of Coaching on Mechanical In-Exsufflation Learning in Children, a Randomized Trial.

<bold>Introduction:</bold> Mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E) is recognized for its efficacy in paediatric airway clearance. A novel coaching module, using playful visual animation as feedback, is available, but its learning efficacy remains unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate whether adding the coaching module to the guidance by a physiotherapist, improves the learning speed of the technique. <bold>Materials and Methods:</bold> This randomized controlled trial enrolled healthy children aged 6 to 10 years who were naive to MI-E. The coaching group, used the coaching module in addition to guidance by a physiotherapist, while the control group learnt only with the physiotherapist guidance. Learning effect was assessed across two sessions, spaced 24 hours apart. The number of sets (one set corresponds to five in-exsufflations cycles) required to achieve efficacy success and, visual analog scales (VAS) for playfulness and perceived ease of learning (0 to 10), were recorded for both sessions. <bold>Results:</bold> Twenty children (9 girls/11 boys, aged 9.0 ± 1.3 years) were recruited. The coaching group needed significantly less sets in the first session than the control group (2.3 ± 1.1 vs 4.1± 1.9; p=0.014), but this difference disappeared in the second session. The VAS for ease of learning and playfulness revealed no significant differences between the groups or across the sessions. Intra-group analysis revealed a significant increase (p=0.003) in ease of learning perception in the coaching group during their second session. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> The coaching module is an effective tool to fasten the learning of MI-E at the first session. This benefit disappeared in the second session.