Help with using inhaler and mask?

[happymummy12345]

My son is 3 and a half. Recently he hasn't seemed too well and he has sounded chesty. We took him to the doctor who listened to his chest and said it was all clear, but they gave him an inhaler and mask just in case, and said if there's no improvement within 2 weeks to take him back.
My husband is asthmatic so knows more about using inhalers than me. But I've read the instructions, and I'm still a bit confused as to how I get him to inhale deeply several times. Am I missing something? (He doesn't like to keep still, he loves to be very active and always moves around).
Any help or suggestions about how is best to get him to use it would be gratefully received.

When my 2yo first saw his inhaler he thought it was a rocket, so I put the mask on his face and we do a really slow countdown from 5 to lift off as if the rocket was taking off. It makes his voice sound funny which makes it a bit more realistic! He doesn't quite understand the difference between breathing in and out yet so I figured he's going to have to breathe in a few times when we do the countdown so it's better than nothing!

The spacer means that it should be easier to give the inhaler. You should try and get your son to breathe in deeply (easier said than done!), but count him breathing in and out 5 times. If he needs a second puff of the inhaler, you should wait 30 seconds. There's some good info on asthma.org.uk