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Original poster

Any top tips please for getting 2 year old ds to use an inhalor?

15 replies

Dottydot · 17/11/2006 12:01

I took ds2 who's 2 to the doctors today and he's diagnosed asthma and ds has got an inhalor with a mask thingy. We've not had a go yet, but I was wondering if there's anything I can do to get him to breathe deeply with the mask, etc? He's very wheezy at the moment with a horrible cough so he's got to use the blue inhalor for a couple of weeks and then we're off to see the asthma nurse to see if he needs anything day to day long term.

Thanks

OP posts:

ilovecaboose · 17/11/2006 12:04

Ds has one of these. We found making silly deep breathing noises (so he would copy) and then letting him put the mask over his face for a couple of breaths. Then we took it away and did it again. He didn't like it at first but now he's fine.

Also letting him watch me and dp use it (without stuff in) made him feel better about it.

Other suggestions I have heard are to let them cover the spacer in stickers. And someone once suggested if they won't let you do it. DO it to them at night, when they are sleeping. They probably won't notice and it'll mean they are getting it if you're having problems.

Most of them don't like it to start with, but quickly get used to it.

HTH

Pruni · 17/11/2006 12:10

Message withdrawn

Original poster

Dottydot · 17/11/2006 13:00

Thanks - fab tips re: stickers and silly breathing noises! I'm quite calm about it at the moment - but we haven't had a go yet..! To be honest, if it helps him get over his horrible chesty cough I'll just be relieved I think.

OP posts:

fuchsia0703 · 17/11/2006 13:03

DD didn't want to do it at first. The trick is to make it fun. Put it on Mummy to try, put it on teddy etc. If I remember rightly they held it over her face rather than using the elastic which can be uncomfy and talked about being like a spaceman. Seemed to work .. good luck Iknow how difficult it is with this age group.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 17/11/2006 13:03

We played a counting game. I had a go first doing a count to 20 (2 puffs) with the inhaler and DP clapped me after. Then DP had a go and we all clapped DP and told him he was a clever boy, and then DD had a go. It did take a while, and we find that she probably enjoys playing it too much but she gets the medicine she needs so.....

Good luck.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 17/11/2006 13:04

OH, and coughing into it (coughing involves a sharp inhalation of breath) - we took it in turns to do that too.

SchnitzelVonKrumm · 17/11/2006 13:04

we get dd to count to 10 with us, lots of cheering etc at the end

SchnitzelVonKrumm · 17/11/2006 13:05

her counting has improved no end

yomellamoHelly · 17/11/2006 13:08

Tend to pin ds's arms to his sides for the first couple of puffs and then he'll stop resisting and tolerate the remaining 8. Was told at this stage (ds is 3) he just needs to breathe normally to take in enough of the medicine. At night he'll just sleep through it. Do try and avoid giving him a dose just before bedtime though as it tends to leave him a bit wired for a while afterwards.
Amazed you've got a diagnosis tbh. Every time ds has an attack (9 now - and they gradually getting more serious) we get a whole range of opinions as to what's caused it.

Original poster

Dottydot · 17/11/2006 13:34

Well we haven't had a 100% 'proper' diagnosis. GP listened to his breathing and confirmed he's 'wheezy' and he's got constant coughs he can never shift. So the idea is that if the blue inhalor helps, then it's definitely asthma. I had mild asthma when I was younger, as did my brother, so I'm not surprised it's probably that. I like the coughing idea, which ds2 will find very easy to do!!

OP posts:

tamum · 17/11/2006 13:41

Lots of good ideas here. I used to get ds to look right at me and do exactly what I did, and then I took deep breaths in time with him. It seemed to work and to calm him down a bit. You used to be able to get things that fitted into spacers and made them whistly if you did it right- might be worth asking your HV if anything like that is still available?

USAUKMum · 17/11/2006 14:05

Hey DottyDot my DS was diagnosed with asthma this summer about 2 wks after his 2nd birthday. His spacer has a little bear on it doing the deed, and the first time we did it, i got down on his level and breathed with him then we counted for 30 then 2nd puff. He was so wheezy that I think he realised it helped him, so never had any problem with doing it. Now 4 mths down the line he does it perfectly without any problem. We have a brown inhaler (currently 3x a day due to cold) 2x a day and a blue as needed. Though in the beginning had brown 3x and bue 2x.

Goodluck.

foxinsocks · 17/11/2006 14:29

hi dotty....my dd and ds had those inhalers when they were that age. I can still remember the trauma we had with dd who hated it and sobbed and sobbed when she had to have it.

What we found helped was getting teddy (or other suitable soft toy!) and letting dd help give it to teddy first. Or giving it to me (with her doing it). In the end, what really worked was shameless chocolate button bribery - you keep the mask on, I count to ten - here's a chocolate button.

Asthma nurses were fab - hope you have found that too. GeorginaA is v good on these sorts of things (if she's around). Hope he gets better soon.

earlysbird · 17/11/2006 15:03

Similar suggestions to others - DT2 has one for occasional use, 3 next month, she is happy to use it if she gets to hold it, having taken lid off the inhaler and now holds up fingers as we count together and make silly deepbreathing noises, but it has taken a while to get to this point!

earlysbird · 17/11/2006 15:04

Also, she likes to shake the inhaler between breaths (obviously I do it as well but it keeps her happy!)

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