How to Use a Nebulizer on Your Children

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By dorigillman
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Our nebulizer

A nebulizer is a medical device that administers liquid medicine in a vapor form directly into your lungs. It opens up clogged airways. Asthma patients use them. Children with “reactive airwaves” disease use them, too.

In our family, we have been using a nebulizer since my children were born. My twin boys were premature and were sent home on heart rate and breathing monitors, and we were told to use a nebulizer on them from time to time. The hospital doctors provided us with the nebulizer. Today, my children are fine but they have what is known as “reactive airways” disease. This means that they get asthma symptoms when they experience a respiratory illness. It does not mean that they are asthma patients. The problem does not happen as frequently as it did when they were younger. But occasionally, we have to break out the nebulizer.

When my boys’ coughs sounds bark-like, or I can hear that they are not breathing smoothly, we run to the doctor and use the nebulizer. Here is what we do.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

a nebulizer, the nebulizer tubes and cups, asthma medication by prescription

Step 1

We do it on the couch

Place the nebulizer in a convenient place for you to administer treatment. My kids always want to watch television while they are receiving the medicine. Many people recommend placing the nebulizer on a flat surface. That’s correct, but a couch or the floor near a chair in the living room is ok, too.
Step 2

Screw the pieces into each other

Assemble the parts of the nebulizer. Attach the two cups to each other by screwing them into each other. The green piece, or color other than clear, will be on the top.
Step 3

You put the medicine in here

Take the medicine tube and squeeze it into the top part of the cups. Let your kids do this or any of the steps if they are old enough to handle it.
Step 4

Attach the tube here

Attach the tubing to the compressor where there is a little point sticking out from it. Attach the tubing to the cups with the medicine.
Step 5

Attach tube to the cups

Attach either the mask or the mouth tube to the cups. My boys prefer the mask just because it is easier. With the mouth tube, you have to put your finger in the other side to keep too many vapors from escaping the procedure.
Step 6

The mask or the tube

Put the mask over your child’s head or the mouth tube in the mouth and turn on the compressor. If you only use one medication, then the procedure is over in 5 minutes. You should double that time if you use more than one drug.

The cups will emit a vapor and you can usually tell if the procedure is done if there is no more gas. The compressor will sputter and gasp. When it still has the drugs at capacity, it will sound loud and smooth.
Step 7

Place clean parts on the towel

Wash the pieces of the nebulizer (not the compressor) with warm water and place on a clean towel to dry. Every few uses, wash the pieces with warm soapy water, making sure to get all the soap out of the individual parts. Cover the pieces with another clean towel to ensure no dust or debris get in it.

Place the parts in a secured, air tight bag when you know you won’t be using them for awhile.