Please talk to me about asthma and getting a child to take an inhaler

[Conkertree]

ds1 (4) has had severe eczema since he was 8 weeks old, and has developed allergies over the last year or so, so is allergic to dairy, eggs, mussels, shellfish and peanuts.

This week, he was diagnosed with asthma. Feel really gutted for the wee thing - has spent most of his life either in pain, or extremely itchy, then half his diet was cut out, and he is very good about it most of th time, but is starting to realise that he may be missing out on things that others can have.

Anyway, thats really a different thread. What I wanted to know was how do you persuade your dc to take the inhaler? He doesnt seem to mind the blue one but hates the taste of the brown one.

We've tried a sweetie straight to take the taste away, but he is really fighting having to take it, and I hate having to hold him down, so any tips?

There is an asthma thread on here which may have some ideas to help you - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/1304963-Can-we-start-a-new-asthma-support-thread-now-dreaded-winter-season-is-looming

I can't really help with persuading him to take it as it sounds like its more of a taste issue than anything so I would probably go down the bribary root like you!! DS is 2 and been on the brown inhaler for 12 months so has got used to the taste of it all now, hopefully your DS does soon if not he may realise it makes him feel better so its worth it.

I take it you are using a spacer?

Ds hates the taste / smell of the brown one too (he's almost 5) but tbh we just tell him he has to take it and that's it. I don't think anything else would really work. The brown inhaler makes a massive difference.

Thanks sirzy - I'll have a look. It is only the second da of taking it, so hopefully you are right and he will get used to the taste.

Yes we are using a spacer Leftmymiseltoe - and you are probably right - No magic tricks to get him to take it. Just was hoping someone with experience may have found a way that I hadnt thought of. He definitely felt better after the blue one - maye the brown doesnt have such an instant effect.

It take a few weeks for the brown one to build up enough to notice a difference. Ds has just had his dose increased and we were told to wait 2 weeks before expecting changes, I think it's even longer when it first starts before its at it's most effective levels.

If he likes imaginary play then giving the inhaler to teddies and things may help him get used to it all

The brown one usually takes about 5 days to show an effect and also, with ds, I find that it stops his asthma getting so bad every time he has a cold etc. I definitely think it works but this is our first full winter on it since he was 2.

Does he also have a peak flow?

No peak flow - they said they are kind of trying out the inhalers to see before giving a definite diagnosis of asthma, but given the reaction to the blue one - he said fairly quickly after that it had made him feel a bit better, I think it probably is. We go back after New Year to report how we have gotten on, so might have testing of some sort then.

I really am a bit clueless about asthma, which I shouldnt be as my brother and sister had it as children (brother still does) and my niece and two nephews have it, but ds seemed tO have followed in my footstes with the eczema instead.

I will have to do some reading - have started that other thread sirzy so once I catch up (probably some time next week as ds3 (11 weeks) is quite awake in the evenings), I will post and it does look useful for seeing what others experience.