Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Please help me use inhaler with spacer 7 month old

26 replies

elm26 · 19/12/2023 20:09

I'm at a complete loss here, last week went back to the doctors for the 3rd time because of my DD's chest. She had 2 colds, a double ear and throat infection and two lots of antibiotics in a few months and she's still wheezy weeks later.

The dr gave us a prescription for a spacer and rushed us out the door.

She's since developed bronchiolitis, GP sent her to straight to paeds ward in hospital this morning and we are now home with instructions to use nebuliser and inhaler.

I can't seem to get the inhaler to work as she panics when the spacer covers her nose/mouth and holds her breath. We've been practicing without pressing the inhaler since last week and making a game out of it and she's got much better however she still doesn't breathe hard enough for the spacer to make that clicking sound where the salbutamol is getting through.

I've ran a hot bath and sat with her in the steam then let her sit in the bath (with cold added) and play for half hour thinking the steam will do her good, she's tolerated 3 minutes on the nebuliser but that's it, I've got the cot raised with books at one end, humidifier on with olbas oil drops in, baby vicks on her chest and she just cannot stop coughing, she's screaming in frustration, she's so tired and it keeps waking her up.

Help!

OP posts:
Desecratedcoconut · 19/12/2023 20:22

Clicking sound? Have they given you an adult spacer, a volumatic, with a pediatric mask?

You can get pediatric spacers and they don't make a clicking sound and they are much smaller so less intimidating.

Desecratedcoconut · 19/12/2023 20:24

The one on the left or the right?

Please help me use inhaler with spacer 7 month old
Original poster
elm26 · 19/12/2023 20:24

The one on the left @Desecratedcoconut

OP posts:
Original poster
elm26 · 19/12/2023 20:25

I think? @Desecratedcoconut

Please help me use inhaler with spacer 7 month old
OP posts:
Desecratedcoconut · 19/12/2023 20:26

If you go to the chemist you can probably just buy one over the counter. It's much easier for you and them.

Original poster
elm26 · 19/12/2023 20:26

Thanks I didn't know this, I just picked up the one that was prescribed

OP posts:
OakElmAsh · 19/12/2023 20:27

The one on the right in the photo is much easier to use on babies (speaking from much experience)

Datafan55 · 19/12/2023 20:40

Your local pharmacist might offer spacer technique advice, which may help? or not.
(I availed myself of this recently) (although it did conflict with what I'd just seen on youtube)

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 19/12/2023 20:43

I’ve used the yellow type one on my kids from toddler age and it was fine.

RudolphsFriend · 19/12/2023 20:43

When my little one was very small, we would wait till he was asleep to use his nebuliser, is that an option?

TriedToMakeMeGoToRehab · 19/12/2023 20:48

I agree do it while she’s asleep, both nebuliser and spacer with inhaler. I use the spacer with inhaler on my child when she’s asleep. I just don’t touch her face with it. I keep it 1mm away. It still works as they’re still breathing it in. Obviously better if it’s sealed to their face but if she won’t take it awake I’d try that tonight. Then ring the helpline tomorrow.
What did the hospital do to give it to her while she was there? I really feel for you, my younger sibling suffered the same as a baby and it was horrible to watch. Grown out of it now as an adult though, thankfully.

khaa2091 · 19/12/2023 20:48

You need an orange aerochamber (my 2 yr has only just moved up to the yellow). They are £17.99 on Amazon Orange aerochamber or can be prescribed.
Wrap her securely in a blanket (restraining her arms) and hold over her face, if she is crying then she will actually breathe in more. We started off making a big deal every time she took 5 breaths, she now solemnly gives the "puff puff" to any assorted soft toys unlucky to be nearby....

dumpling123 · 19/12/2023 20:50

Lots of playing and positive modelling can help with it. Let baby play with the spacer, handle the spacer and become familiar with it. Give teddies and dollies a turn using the spacer and lots of of praise for them so baby gets used to the idea and lots of practice. It's hard though

snoopyfanaccountant · 19/12/2023 20:51

You definitely need to get an child Aerochamber for a wee one. My DDs are now 23 and 20; they have both had inhalers since they were toddlers and a volumatic never worked for us. My 20 year old is ND and still can't take an inhaler directly so has an adult Aerochamber.

IkaBaar · 19/12/2023 20:52

You can even do the inhaler in her sleep too. Does the salbutamol even work for her, there is not much evidence it does work for kids under 12 months or with bronchiolitis. My dd2 was in hospital at 7.5 months with bronchiolitis/pneumonia and they tried salbutamol nebulisers as she sounded asthmatic + very strong family history but they didn’t help. I’d discuss it with another healthcare professional, your community pharmacist might be a good start.

Mine didn’t try salbutamol again until 12 months and even at that age it didn’t take her long to realise it worked. It’s really quick acting.

Sneezymcsneezy · 19/12/2023 21:20

We used the large spacer on the left when our son was 10 months, we just pinned him down in the end, lots of tears, and no, doing it in his sleep was not plain sailing as he always woke up, although the resistance varied depending on how tired he was. he got better with using it as he grew older as his communication skills got better, we now use the one on the right (small yellow on) and he really doesn't mind it. He did hate it up until 2 years old though.

WishIMite · 19/12/2023 21:30

Why doesn’t someone make a brightly coloured one that makes a fun whistle noise when you suck it in?!?! It would be great for kids.

Singleandproud · 19/12/2023 21:38

When you use the inhaler don't do a practice 'squirt' first and then a proper one or if you do leave it a couple of minutes to recharge as it doesn't dispense the right amount of medicine. Not being asthmatic and the Dr didn't talk through it when DD was little so I just did what I thought I saw everyone else do, I would have read the info leaflet but DD only needed it in the winter so must have forgotten in subsequent years, it wasn't until she was a teen and moved under the proper asthma nurse that I found out.

As other PP have said, when you get the correct spacer practise on teddies and see if you can find any age appropriate animations showing them being used.

Frozensun · 19/12/2023 21:40

The spacers I have used don’t click. The aerosol is delivered into the chamber and the patient just breathes normally. I was told to hold my daughter down. That was a no for me. I used books and/or kids show as an enticement. It worked for her.

Whattodowithit88 · 19/12/2023 21:43

TEST IT YOURSELF FIRST!!! Everytime!!

On one I tried to give my baby the little flap but at the top got stuck, so when I was putting it over her mouth she was suffocating, it’s only because she started going mental when she had took it fine before I wondered what was going on so put it over my own mouth and realised that without the flap bit moving as you breath, it gives you no oxygen, so just make sure the bit is moving properly and not stuck before you do it.

PiggieWig · 19/12/2023 21:47

I used to swaddle DS in a blanket and hold the aero chamber really close to his face but not touching. It was difficult but needs must. Hope you can master it.

RMNofTikTok · 19/12/2023 21:56

Honestly? I just swaddled my baby and held the spacer on until they started breathing properly

Solasum · 19/12/2023 22:02

We used to pretend the yellow spacer was an elephant’s trunk, and make trumpeting noises when we used it.

and also sing a little counting song ‘one two etc counting from one to ten, hey’ between puffs.