Any tips for making nebulizer treatments easier on little ones?

[DisneyLovingMama]

After a miserable three days, DS, just 1, was diagnosed with bronchialitis today. He's wheezing horribly and I have to give him a nebulizer treatment every four hours. Problem is, he HATES them. I basically have to hold his legs between mine, his arms in my hands, his head in the crook of my arm to get him to still enough to keep the mask on. Then, he's screaming the entire time.

Anyone with any experience in this know how to make it less stressful on the little guy? Between the wheezing and the screaming, my heart is breaking.

 

[janette]

Sorry, my youngest has asthma and we were doing nebulizer treatments at least 3x a day from the time she was 6mths to 2yr. Just keep reminding yourself that when they are screaming they are breathing it in so the meds are getting into their lungs very well. Sometimes I'd do it when she was sleeping but they don't breathe as deeply then. With my DD it wasn't the meds it was that she had to stay still for about 10mins, that was torture and nothing seemed to help I hope he feels better really soon, it is very hard.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Wow I feel so sorry for your ds. Mine is older so he is used to it and does it himself. I know the noise of the machine alone can be overwhelming. Maybe you can get a portable dvd player and show him a movie or try a toy that makes noise to drown out the machine noise etc. How about one of those sound books where you can help him push the buttons to make a noise etc. Best of luck.

 

[ttfn3]

We had to give nebulizer treatments to our son when he was young. Every 4 hours is tough. I remember we told our DS that the mask was a "fireman's mask" and we would read to him while he was taking his treatments. We also waited to give his evening one when he was asleep in his bed. We would hold the mask close to his face which worked well enough. I would suggest you give your doctor a call. Maybe they have a different kind of mask that you could use??

Take care. I hope that your little one is well soon.

 

[travlnman1]

My DD had asthma when she was younger. Sometimes I used the mask and other times I used a different attachment which was just a tube and I would place her in front of her favorite TV show and held it near her face. Your child may hate the mask but try and take the mask off and just hold it near his face. Hopefully it will work better for you.

 

[ChristmasElf]

I know it's hard to see your child upset, BUT LET HIM HOOT AND HOLLER all he wants as he will get more of the medicine if he is screaming and fighting you! He will breathe deeper and more will get to the lungs.
Just keep it up every 4 hours and eventually he will figure out that you are bigger than him and he will stop fighting you.
Good Luck.

 

[Briarmom]

DD hates hers, too. But I have realized that it is something that needs to be done in front of the TV. Do you have a Baby Einstein DVD? Good luck!

 

[EthansMom]

DLM,

I'm so sorry to hear your little guy is going through this! Both my DS4 and DD1.5 get bronchitis from time to time and have to have nebulizer treatments.

To tone down the noise, we put the nebulizer machine on a pillow and lightly close the lid on the machine. Also, both kids are happier if they are watching cartoons or reading a book during their treatments. DD hates having the elastic from the mask around her head -- I have to hold the mask to her face.

I find that the hardest part, for me, is me going several nights without adequate sleep because I'm getting up all the time to give treatments and deal with a cranky child.

Good Luck!

 

[mtemm]

the only thing that helped my son when he started them (off and on from 15 months on) was putting on a tv show like on noggin or disney. I think they distracted him. Its so hard at first, isn't it? It also helped to use the pipe rather than the mask...he couldn't tolerate the mask at all, but the pipe (I think that's what its called...about the thickness of a roll of coins) was much easier.

good luck!

 

[PrincessKitty1]

The children's lung specialists I have worked with only prescribed nebulizers if the child or parent liked them better than inhalers (or for certain medications that are not available in inhaler form, such as inhaled antibiotics).

They said inhalers (with spacer and mask) work just as well or even better than nebulizers. They're much faster (only take a minute or two!) than nebulizers and most children tolerate them better than nebulizers. It's generally primary care doctors (pediatricians or family practice physicians) who think nebs work better than inhalers, not lung specialists.

Also, if you don't use a mask with your nebulizer, your child is not going to get much of the medication. Again, lung specialists don't reccomend "blow-by" administration of nebulized medication. Not much gets into the lungs, and the effect on the eyes is unknown.

So consider trying an inhaler with a spacer and mask--your child may prefer this method of medication administration!

 

[DisneyLovingMama]

Thanks for all the replies. It's so hard. My daughter keeps thinking I'm hurting him. Hopefully, it's making him feel better. But, he doesn't seem it. Poor guy has had a rough year with illnesses. He also has a double ear infection and all four of his one-year molars are coming in!! Hopefully 2006 will be easier on all three of us.

 

[RitaZ.]

My DD had asthma when she was younger. Sometimes I used the mask and other times I used a different attachment which was just a tube and I would place her in front of her favorite TV show and held it near her face. Your child may hate the mask but try and take the mask off and just hold it near his face. Hopefully it will work better for you.

That's what we used with DS when he was young, not as young as the OP's child, but it was still difficult. I basically held that attachment below his nose while we tried to distract him with a video or talking to him. If I recall correctly, the treatment was about 15 minutes in length, but it seemed to last forever.

Call the doctor and explain the situation, maybe he/she will have suggestions.

Hugs to you. Watching a person suffer from asthma is very hard, especially little ones.

 

[RitaZ.]

It's generally primary care doctors (pediatricians or family practice physicians) who think nebs work better than inhalers, not lung specialists.

This is true. I also agree about the "blow-by" methods, the amount of medication taken in is definitely less than with a mask.

To the OP, it may be a good idea to take your DS to a pulmonologist for his asthma. My DH also suffers from asthma and his life changed for the better when he started seeing one.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Have you tried doing it when he's asleep? My SIL had to finally do that with my nephew as he threw a fit each time. He was a solid sleeper and the machine noise didn't wake him.

And I agree - get that baby to a lung/asthma specialist, not just primary care doc. My asthma is only under control when I have a specialist helping me. I finally relocated to a place with a specialist available and there is a BIG difference. You may be surprised that a specialist will want an inhaler used instead. There are more immediate, easier for a child to withstand, and you get more medication in.