Quick question for asthma experts please......

[springboks]

DD (3 years) has just been prescribed the brown preventative inhaler after several bad wheezing episodes. The Dr said to get her to rinse her mouth out after each use or else her tongue will go white(?!). I have tried showing her how to rinse and spit but she's just not getting it and she's swallowing instead. Any advice?!!!
Thanks

we just do it before brushing teeth

it's too prevent thrush which can result if you don't rinse or brush teeth after

Hmm... I would just get her to have a swig of drink tbh - is what my asthma nurse says. Or do it just before she cleans her teeth?

(btw, I never bother and my tongue has never turned white yet - I think the issue can be that you can end up with more throat infections/probs as the particulate can end up "stuck" on the back lining of the throat).

Alternatively - is she using a spacer for the inhaler? Would have thought chances of it being left on her tongue/back of throat would be minimal with a spacer anyway.

also you need to wipe their mouth as well

We were told to brush her teeth after using the brown inhaler, ie give it before here morning and evening teeth brushing.

We've haven't noticed anything untoward.

NEVER heard anything about having to wipe mouth as well.

From asthma.org.uk - essential asthma site, imo:

"If your child uses preventer medicine there is a small risk of them having a sore tongue or throat, hoarseness of the voice and a mouth infection called thrush. To help prevent these side effects, ensure your child rinses their mouth out and brushes their teeth after using their preventer inhaler. Using a spacer will also help reduce the possibility of thrush."

You can't expect a 3 year old to be able to spit, tbh (which is why they have lower fluoride toothpastes after all!). Just give her a sip of water then clean her teeth.

ah wiping mouth only needed when using spacer with face mask

Ah got you, that makes sense

Yikes, gp never said a word - dd (18 months) has it every night, after tooth brushing

with spacer, though face mask is never held tight onto her face, just near it.

That's REALLY helpful, thank you so much. I will just give her some water and then brush her teeth and wipe her face. She will be using the spacer so it sounds like it'll be ok.

I am new to all this so may be back with lots more questions! The asthma website link was helpful too, thank you

Elibean: tbh, I have never experienced oral thrush with inhalers ever, and from what the asthma uk site implies it's only a slight risk so please don't get too stressed about it. I have had asthma since I was a small child.

I did go through a phase of getting tonsilitis/pharangitis (no I can't spell them sorry) a couple of years ago, but a) this was during a fairly up and down period with my health anyway and b) I started to use a spacer for a while to give my throat a rest. I no longer use a spacer.

springboks: the Asthma UK site is FAB - really very helpful, as are their helpline which is staffed by well trained asthma nurses. Your GP's asthma clinic will be v helpful too - I love my asthma nurse, she's brill and in terms of the actual practical side of TAKING the medicines (obviously not the actual prescribing side of things) is much more knowledgeable than my GP.

I think having your child be diagnosed with asthma must be very scary, but I do say to people that these days asthma meds are absolutely fantastic with very little side effects. 99.99% of the time I don't even know I have asthma and it doesn't really impact my life that much.