Posted 10/14/2013 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome, Johnna. I'm sure your family has been through a lot.
If you have any specific issues, please write about them, and we may be able to help. Here are a few things from my experience as an adult that were helpful at the beginning:
Her stoma will shrink in the next two months, so measure it every week. If you need to cut the wafer yourself, cut it about 1/8 of an inch bigger around than her stoma.
Wash with water only or if you use soap use something unscented with no oils in it (dial, ivory etc). Oils can make the bag not stick well.
Pay attention to when she has output and when she doesn't and try to change the bag when there isn't much output (for me that's late morning, although I'm often not home then). For some people, eating a few marshmallows before changing stops the output for a while (the exact length before changing varies... you could start by trying ten minutes).
Use a hairdryer on low to make sure her skin is dry before putting the wafer on. Use it after it's on for a bit to make it stick better.
Generally, less is more with products. Powder, skin prep, etc can all make the bag not stick as well. If her skin is irritated, you can use some powder, but be sure to put skin prep over it to make a crust, otherwise the bag won't stick.
When you take the bag off, move your skin away from the wafer, not vice verse... .less irritating.
Eakin seals or adapt rings are made of sticky material, and they are good to go around the stoma if there's irritation.
Sure seals are a clear tape that can go outside the wafer to hold it down better. If she has a leak, they will contain it for a bit so it doesn't make a mess. You'll probably have to cut them some to make them fit right for a child.
Hope something here is helpful....