New to ventolin!

[Wish_Bear]

Ok my 17 month old DS is always getting broncilitis but this time he has been prescribed ventolin and a spacer with face mask. My problem is he will not breathe the ventolin in at all. As soon as the mask gets near him he screams and thrashes around and gets really distressed. I try showing him how to do it and making the in out breathing techniques and he does it but as soon as the mask gets to his face he seems to hold his breath. We have had to hold him down and when he takes a breath after screaming we put the mask on his face so he will breath it in. It's so horrible for all concerned.

Can anyone help me? Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get him to take it?

[Percy]

I dont suppose the Spacers with the cartoon characters would make any difference?

Or can you put him onto a nebuliser while he is asleep?

Just clutching at straws here:fingerscrossed:

[punkbaby]

We found the only way that ds would take it was using the spacer telling him to pretend he needed to suck all the air out of it, practising without the ventolin, he was about 15 months..it worked, i think that mask is too scary for them:)

[Wish_Bear]

What is a nebuliser??

I don't think he really understands the breathe in breathe out thing. I guess it's something he will have to learn :(

[mumx3littlies]

Havent really got any great advice but just to let you know that we are having the same thing. Our 15month old had asthma attack a few weeks back and had to stay in hospy for a couple of nights. He really hated the spacer etc at first but now that hes had it a bit more hes much more calm about it. In hospy they showed us how to hold him down effectively(sounds terrible doesnt it!) to give it to him. Its really hard when they're too young to understand or to try and follow instructions from you. Good luck and hope it gets easier soon:)

[Percy]

A nebuliser is a machine that pumps the ventolin through a mask.... you will still have to get the mask onto his face, but he doesnt have to breath in and out.

You need the solution from the chemist which will require a script, so perhaps you could talk to the doctor if things dont get better.

I have memories of being on it at night. my dad would sit up with me and make a game out of it, like i was a spaceman etc...

Good luck with it. Feel free to pm me if you have any other questions!

[punkbaby]

Tryin to explain here what we did kinda hard :( anyhow i used to play puff the magic dragon, puff in then blow out...this is how ds picked it up, it doesnt happen over night though its practising a few times first then after a few days say lets try it this way....its frustrating but it worked for us, i hope that you find something that helps you

[Wish_Bear]

Thanks so much all of you. it definately helps to hear how others have dealt with asthma. Maybe the nebuliser would be easier. I'll give it a go and see what happens.

Punkbaby...The puff in blow out thing may work. I'll give it a go.