Parents to asthmatic children....Please HELP!!

[jojo2324]

*I just posted this over on Baby Bargains too, but could use all the help I can get!!*

Gannon has Pulmicort administered to him daily through a nebulizer. We used to use the small cup, and hold it under his nose/mouth. In recent weeks, he really been fighting us on this, shoving the cup away and screeching like you wouldn't believe.

He was very sick a couple of weeks ago, and we had to up dosages. The ped gave us a small mask to use, and he actually took it just fine!! Yippee!! Admittedly, I put him in his high chair and turn on the TV, but it did the trick!

But now we're back down to one, 5-minute treatment a day, and the displeasure is back too. And this goes for cup, mask, and mouthpiece, TV or not.

Any tips on how to give him his meds? It's really important, because it DOES help us avoid a trip to the ER every time he gets the sniffles. We would like to stay away from the cup, because the ped thinks much of the medicine is floating away and not being inhaled.

Also, on a frugal note, it's frustrating because our insurance covers zippo of these meds. So every time he fights me, I'm thinking, (in addition to him not being able to combat colds), "Oh, there's another $4, and another $4, and another..."

Thanks for any help!!

[colinml]

I wish I could offer a sure-fire answer. We are just now in the process of trying to determine if our son has asthma. He seems to respond to the fast acting rescue inhaler, and that is one indicator that it is asthma and not something else (His only symptom is night time cough). At any rate, back to your question:

I'm really surprised that you were able to get a toddler to sit for five minutes with a mask on and the nebulizer bubbling away. That's verging on heroic. Perhaps he was still somewhat symptomatic, and persisted because of the feeling of relief he was getting. Administering on-going maintenance medication, I would think, would be much more difficult, as he probably feels fine, so the medicine doesn't offer him the immediate feeling of relief. It's just an uncomfortable thing on his face.

Is there a long acting, preventative available in a regular inhaler that you could use with a spacer and mask? At least it would be over quick (a few breaths).

Best of luck,
Colin

[colinml]

I just got back from the doctor, and he suggested that my son does have mild persistant asthma. He prescribed a long acting inhaler, with mask. I asked about the nebulizer, and his response was that the nebulizer is a more efficient means of delivery, but the inhaler is more convienient (and less scary, annoying). I don't know where that leaves you. You doctor may feel you need the nebulizer's more efficient delivery?

At any rate, I asked my wife if she had any ideas (she has been asthmatic since she was 18 months). She said that some people are sucessful administering the nebulizer when the child is asleep. I don't have any practical suggestions for accomplishing this (They are sort of noisy), but thought I'd offer the thought.

Best wishes,
Colin