Therapy

^{Ask patients to blow bubbles slowly into a bottle through a plastic tube (10 mm in diameter) with an air pressure just sufficient to overcome the resistance of the water 20 times with a rest after 10, every hour from 9am to 8pm with breaks at noon and 5pm. After discharge continue 2 x 10 breaths on 5 occasions each day for 14 days}

Why?

• Patients who perform bubble-blowing compared with simple coughing have fewer days of fever (on average 0.5 fewer) and spend less time in hospital (on average 1.5 days fewer). ^a