getting 4 yo to use spacer (asthma)

[rhetorician]

that's it really; she is fine with the spacer, but hates the taste and smell of the inhaler stuff. She is quite sensitive to smell and taste. I have tried her with the spacer without any medicine - that was fine, doesn't mind that. Background: she was hospitalized for pneumonia in April, and follow-up consultation concluded that she was probably asthmatic (coughing on waking, coughing after exercise) although she has never had an attack as such. Was prescribed blue and brown inhaler which we didn't use over the summer as she was well - although we probably should have started her on the brown one. She now has a nasty cough..

I think she needs it, but I am not sure that her aversion will be overcome by the usual enticement of chocolate buttons . Today she said (dramatically) "I will NEVER get used to it"...

Probably worth a ring to your GP surgery and see if they have an asthma nurse you can chat to - they may have a few ideas to help? Other than that my suggestion would be bribery - maybe some stickers on the spacer?? Is she able to use it on just a mouthpiece rather than a mask - that would lose the smell and probably then reduce the taste worry too, or can you/she pinch her nose if still on a mask?

I am on symbicort which is tasteless. Ask your asthma nurse if there's an alternative; there's no point having it if she won't take it!