(Excuse the photo quality. This was pre-digital days.)
My daughter started using a nebulizer right after she turned 2, when the doctor diagnosed her asthma. As a 25 year-old mom with no breathing problems myself, I had no idea what I was doing back then.
None.
The nurse at the pediatrician’s office showed me how to administer nebulizer treatments to my frightened, struggling toddler by holding her against my lap and trapping her left arm behind my back. Simultaneously, I had to hold her head, her other arm, and the nebulizer mask on her face still while she screamed. Can you picture it, the way I’ve described? No? I’m not surprised; it felt like a gymnastics routine or a yoga position at the advanced level, and it made AG miserable.
But I thought, well okay. This is the procedure. This is how you do things, clearly.
We were always flying blind with the asthma stuff in those early days, but eventually my kid and I slowly, eventually felt our way through a better system. Because the method necessary for a nurse in a busy doctor’s office did not make as much sense at home, where I had plenty of time and space to help her through it. (Have I mentioned before, ever, what I total amateur I was as a mom in general and an Asthma Mom in particular?)
These became my rules. They transformed the nebulizer from a scary, smoky machine into a regular, normal routine when my daughter was young.
1. Flip the nebulizer switch before you put the mask on. The sound of the motor, the misty medicine, the bizarre feeling of a face mask; all at once, these make for a terrifying experience for little kids.
2. In fact, let your kid put the mask on herself if she wants to. This gives her some control over the process.
3. Use the TV for distraction. Toddlers never stay still, anyway, and nebulizer treatments are boring. My daughter’s serious Elmo obsession always helped.
4. Use an extra mask to give your child’s favorite doll or stuffed animal a “treatment” at the same time. Then it feels like a game.
5. When I bought new masks, I let my kids use the old ones for dress-up, but only under my supervision or when they were old enough for the masks not to pose a safety risk. You know, so they could play Fire Rescue with pink boots and plastic hats. Obviously.
Got any tips that worked for your kids? Share ‘em below.
Thanks, Sarah, for inspiring this post with your comment about children, medical issues, and a sense of control.
We taught miss monkey that she was “being a dragon” ( a tip stolen from a more experienced asthma family) and had her “blow smoke like a dragon” which made it (almost) like a game for her…. we have always done her treatments either at the computer, or in front of tv/movie and i tried to give her as much involvement as possible.. ie she got to out on her mask, she got to flip the switch, etc
Okay, so I can’t identify with any of this, but you are freaking awesome if you didn’t already know. Your use of the word “obviously” was cracking me up.
“You know, so they could play Fire Rescue with pink boots and plastic hats. Obviously.” LOVE it. And that picture.
This, however, has me thinking back to your sick day tips post, Amy. Could a lot of the quiet, flare-y day activities not be used while you’ve got a kid stuck behind a neb?
If your kid doesn’t like straps (I hated straps – still do! Something about holding the mask to my face is just reassuring, plus it gives me a feeling of control, which definitely helps when your breathing is out of control), let the kid hold it. Eventually, your kid might get bored or tired and consent to the strap out of boredom/exhaustion, but don’t force the issue.
Put the mask on yourself first to show the kid that it doesn’t hurt (maybe with just saline running through).
Definitely agree with the TV thing. Books are a good idea, too (I was a huge bookworm), and so are small, portable games like Pass the Pigs or magnetic checkers.
I tend to give Mariella the choice of “wearing the mask” or “holding the mask”
Also, it seems silly…but if the mask doesn’t really fit their little head right, and the elastic slides around, it will make it even more frustrating and more of a fight. Mariella uses her pony tail to hold the strap on…but if she isn’t wearing a ponytail, the thing slips over her ears and is uncomfortable, etc. If it’s not fitting well, just letting your child hold the mask might make all the difference.
Samantha–Oh, that dragon tip is perfect for little kids, thanks.
Kerri–Thanks! I can’t remember whose idea that was, but I’m betting it was Kyra’s. Do you not love the boots and shorts? It was probably about 100 degrees outside that day. You’re right about that other post–I should incorporate it with this one, huh?
Sarah–My nephew hated the straps, too, but Kyra was okay with them–I guess b/c they left her hands free.
Sara C–Whatever works, right? Kyra used to put the mask on VERY loose & then tighten the straps herself. I was NOT to touch them-totally understandable, of course.
My son was four I think when he first used a nebulizer. I would have him help me get it out and set it up and do as much of it as possible. Hooking the tubes up and squeezing in the albuterol in the cup really helped calm him down (and as a result calm me down too!) while we tried to hook it all together for a middle of the night flare.
No tips, but I sure do remember those fireman hats as a child:-)
Ooh! Childhood neb memories!
My mom used to tell us to blow “smoke signals”. She’d ask us questions. One deep puff out was a yes. Two were no. We also got to sit in the special “breathing treatment chair”. I was less amused by this since I was older at diagnosis and understood what was going on – I mostly just spaced out in front of the TV. But my brother who was asthmatic since birth tended to be pretty good with these tactics.
I hate the straps on the masks often. But usually when I need/use a mask, I’m to worn out to even hold it myself, so I just manage and keep sliding the strap back on my head where it’ll slide the least.
Love the fireman gear… brings back childhood memories, though they had nothing to do with asthma as I didn’t have it when I was younger, neither did anyone else in my family.
So we aren’t the only ones with a kid who hates the strap!
Under “normal” circumstances, i.e., no respiratory infection in sight, my son only gets one nebulizer treatment per day. Except instead of doing it AT bedtime, we do it immediately after. So, yes, that is my tip. Do it while the child is sleeping.
(Zombifying child with TV and allowing him to hold mask himself are also our usual strategies when number of treatments per day require doing them while child is conscious.)
my son is only a year old and gas to use the nebulizer. of course hehates it and all of these suggestions seem to be for older kids. anyone have any ideas on how to help? i have to hold him down and he screams. then he screams for a long time after it is over because he is so stressed ot from it. HELP!!!!!!
Hi Sarah,
Unfortunately, I don’t. My daughter was misdiagnosed until she was 2 years-old, so when she was your son’s age, ER docs kept sending us home with oral meds rather than a neb. Even as a toddler, though, my daughter screamed for a few months until she got old enough to distract. I hope someone else out there has some ideas for you!
We started my son on a nebulizer today and he is using the mouth piece, not the mask (He is almost 3). The nurse told me that I could stuff a cotton ball in the back side of the mouth piece (where the steam comes out) and just let the mist run on his nose and mouth if I have a hard time getting him to put it in his mouth; she also said this way works well when they are sleeping. She said not to put in the cotton ball if the piece is in the mouth though.
Hi Sarah D.,
I feel your pain, I too have a 1 year old who screams and wiggles her way out of my arms! Just recently I’ve let her press the button on her machine and use the accordion looking tube instead of the mask and this has helped a great deal! She puts it in her own mouth and is thrilled to see the ” smoke” come out the other end. I hope this may be of some help to you!
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I can totally identify with your experience at the doctor’s office. My daughter was 14 months when she had her first nebulizer treatment and that’s pretty much exactly what the nurse did…and then she left the room. After struggling with my daughter to keep the scary mask on, the hose popped off the mask and I just gave up and turned off the machine. Our first few treatments at home were similar until a friend gave us an amazing tip. Her child’s asthma doctor told her to hold the mask 4 or 5 inches in front of her face and move it a little closer with each treatment. We tried this and my daughter sat still watching her video and after a few minutes actually stuck her own face into the mask! My daughter is 4 now and we are having issues getting her to take her nebulizer treatments again. We have been using an inhaler with a spacer, but her pediatrician felt like she would benefit from the nebulizer. Some of these tips could be very helpful!
Also, there is a new product called the Easy Breathing Band that helps keep the straps/mask from sliding down. It fits over the child’s head and attaches to the straps of the mask so that the mask actually stays on. I just ordered one for my daughter and I can’t wait to try it. Here is a link to the website: http://easybreathingband.com/
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