Mom of 2 1/2 Your Old Boy Looking for Advise on Asthma and a Nebulizer

Geez, all three of my kids have had to use the nebulizer at some point and I don't remember it ever being that bad. Have you tried to put it on yourself first to show it doesn't hurt? You must really hate holding him down. I used to have to do that with my daughter giving her medicine and it was awful. Could you do it while he sleeps? Would the sound wake him up? Sorry I'm not much help. Good luck!
A.
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I held the tube up to my son initially & had the mask sitting next to us. I also put a blanket over the machine to help with the noise. As a special treat I let my son hold a small container of mini m&m's and he got some after we were done only if he was good & he got more each time he did well. It's been a three years now & he doesnt get m&m's anymore but he holds the mask himself & we watch tv together. I want to also add that I rarely use this machine as he has a slight touch of asthma from pneumonia but I use it the moment he starts to cough/gets a cold & he hasnt gotten a full blown cold in 3 years & I believe its from the nebulizer treatment. We use it maybe 4 times a year. Good luck it will get better.

My kids don't have asthma, but I do, and I was just concerned reading your post...you can't diagnose asthma from an x-ray?!?! Now, anyone, children or adults, can get asthma like symptoms from bronchitis or pneumonia and will get relief from the nebulizer treatments, but to say that your little guy has asthma because of this seems silly to me. I would definitely take him to a pediatric asthma specialist or pulmonologist to see if he really has it, and in the meantime, since those treatments will help him, I would play a game with it...mommy wears the mask, then he wears the mask. The medicine won't hurt you if you inhale it for a few seconds. Also to drown the noise, you can put the compressor on a pillow and even put one on top (just watch that it doesn't overheat). You can also do it while he is sleeping. My kids are constantly wanting to use my nebulizer and inhalers because they see me using them all the time, so it's all in what you get used to.

Hi Jackie,

You will make this happen depending on how necessary you view the nebulizer is for your son's well being. Our 2 year old daughter first encountered the nebulizer upon hospitalization for asthma and low blood oxygen. It was a war, and a war the next time, and the next. But it got better. Now she is four and will put on the mask and flip on the machine herself (I suspect she likes having some control.) I don't like pulmicourt one bit, but it beats the hospital, and with so much mold in the air at this time of year, compromise can be dangerous. Stiff upper lip! You can do it.

Practice putting it on your face or a favorite stuff animal or doll's face. Let him give them a "breathing" treatment. (w/o the medicine of course) Make it fun and not scary. Tell him exactly what you are going to do before you do it so he is prepared. Also, let him know that it isn't an option, but if he behaves during the treatment he will get a special reward when he's done. (movie, snack, sticker...etc) If he behaves during the treatment, give it to him. If he doesn't then no treat. Put him in a highchair with the seat belts on if he is not controllable. I wouldn't give in to a big power struggle. I know getting the treatment isn't fun, but its necessary and it isn't painful. He just has to get used to it. I have been getting these treatments since I was a kid and have given them to numerous kids I have sat for. Just stay calm yourself and give the treatment. If he pitches a fit, have him go and sit until he is ready to relax and cooperate. If your son senses that you feel guilty about giving the treatment, he will play on that and keep fighting you.

Do it at or after bed time. Develop a routine...Bath with nighttime bath wash, nighttime bath lotion and massage (body and head).

After all that, they're basically out of it. Give the treatement while they are sleep. Put the nebby on the floor with a light towel over it to muffle the noise and then put the mask barely over their little face.

Good as Gold!

I had the same issue. Play a game with him. Try on you and then on him. The noise is scary but he will get use to it. Put on their favorite show,movie etc. Bribe him with candy or going out to play. with my son we put on something he wants to see and put it loud enough that he can hear. He now turns it on and off himself. I have asthma too so he sees me wearing it too. Asthma can be diagnosed from an X-Ray. An X-ray lets the doctor see the inflamation in the lungs.

My friend's son is a bit younger (he will be 2 in a couple weeks) and has been using a neb. for asthma for over 6 months now. She has "special tv time" with him, when he can pick any program/movie and sits on her lap while he takes his treatment. Also -- you may want to allow your son to be "in charge" of turning the machine on and off for the treatment. It may give him some control he is seeking. This must be so difficult -- my heart goes out to you.

My son wouldn't go for the mask either. We ended up just holding the tube by his face and that seemed to work ok. I don't know your son's status compared to mine, so maybe that's not an option.

We used that method for awhile and then gave him the mask and let him hold it over his face. I don't think we ever put it on him the whole way, but he did hold it on really well.

I saw it as a control issue - he wanted to have control, so we gave him the option to hold the tube and then the mask. If he would have had a more severe case, I don't think we would have had this option.

M.