Covid-19

Guidelines for Covid-19 home consultation

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It is important that your assessment and consultation keeps everyone safe and confident that the risk of transmitting coronavirus is as low as possible. To help achieve this please note how the consultation will take place.

After your initial contact with Wendy she will arrange to call you to complete a pre-visit assessment at a mutually convenient time.

Pre-visit assessment (via telephone):

Before the pre-visit assessment please send Wendy (via email, text or WhatsApp):

  • A photograph or video of baby’s mouth so that the underneath of the tongue is visible

  • A video showing your baby feeding

  • A photograph of the weight record in your baby’s Red Book

  • A photograph of the weight centile chart in the Red Book if baby is more than 3 weeks old

The pre-visit assessment will take about 1 hour; as well as discussing the photographs / videos you have sent we will talk about your feeding journey so far. We will also discuss and complete the following documents, and a provisional date for a home consultation will be agreed:

  • Consent for consultation, and collection and storage of data and photographs

  • Reciprocal risk assessment for Covid-19

We will also discuss how the tongue-tie assessment and (if needed) division will take place. Wendy will explain the intended benefits and uncommon risks of the procedure and encourage discussion about these and any other questions you may have before completing a preemptive consent form

Wendy will email you a copy of the pre-visit assessment - to confirm your agreement please reply to the email; the home consultation will go ahead as arranged

Home consultation:

Wendy will say hello on your doorstep then put on clean scrubs, hair covering, shoe covers and mask. Please show Wendy to a sink where she can wash her hands and arms to the elbow using her own soap and towel

Your partner or one other adult from your household bubble can be present with you; if possible please ensure other children are cared for in another room

Please can all adults present during the consultation wear a face covering - thank you

Wendy will examine your baby’s mouth wearing gloves, goggles / face visor and a plastic apron then discuss her findings with you. After further discussion you will be able to make an informed decision about whether to go ahead with the procedure

Dividing your baby’s tongue-tie:

We will need a table with good light, a changing mat and a blanket to swaddle your baby. Wendy will use a surface cleaner on the table and changing mat and will show you how your baby will be swaddled and held by you during the procedure

Wendy will wash her hands and arms and put on sterile gloves; she will use sterile metal disposable scissors to do the division - this takes just a few moments. Wendy will then hold a piece of gauze over the wound and pass your baby back to you to cuddle and feed

Wendy will stay with you until any bleeding has stopped and baby has fed and settled

Wendy will provide you with information about what to expect next, and a sticky label recording the procedure will be completed for your baby’s Red Book

Payment will be due at the end of the consultation, by bank transfer if possible

You will be invited to contact Wendy at any time if you have any questions or concerns

At the end of the consultation Wendy will wash her hands and arms and remove her scrubs, hair and shoe coverings and mask at your front door then leave

After your home consultation:

If possible please send Wendy a photograph / video of the wound in baby’s mouth

Wendy will call you the day after the division to find out how you and your baby are

You will be invited to contact Wendy at any time in the future if you have any questions

If your baby had a tongue-tie division Wendy will send a letter to your GP informing them of the procedure

After the follow-up call Wendy will send you a copy of your records via email

You will be invited by email to complete a short questionnaire the day after the procedure, two weeks later and 3-4 months after that. Your anonymous responses are gratefully received and help to inform development of Wendy’s service