We've actually had pretty good luck when we let our little one chew on the plastic mouth piece versus using the mask. I think the mask scared her more than anything. Also we let her play with her toys while we're giving her the treatment. My doctor told us that we could hold the mouth piece under her nose as long as she was breathing in the medicine it was fine. Good Luck!
Erin, I agree with one of the other moms, my now 6 year old had asthma from the time he was born. He has out grown it now thank goodness. But he had to have breathing treatments all the time. He even had the kid friendly mask and it still didnt work so I used just the plain mouth peice. And it worked so much better and what I did was let him mess with my husbands video game system while he did the breathing system. He was more involved with what was going on the tv and that he was moving the characters then what was in his mouth. Good Luck I know it is a challenge.
Hi Erin!
I am sorry to hear you are going through this, the treatments are no fun, and pretty much every child I know that has had to have them has fought them. My little girl has had to take them from the time she was 7 or 8 months. She is 4 now. I am wondering if your nebulizer came with a mask instead of the tube. That is what I have used for my little girl ever since we began..you can tighten the mask and it fits over there nose and mouth. Our mask looks like a fish..(child friendly).
It can cause scarring on his lungs if he continues to wheez...causing more problems in the future. When I asked the Dr. what to do about the fits, they told me better an upset child, (for a few minutes) than a child that has lung problems long term.
The good news is, he will eventually realize this is what we have to do, and whether he likes it or not, it will be over. I know it seems like forever when you are doing them...but it will get better if you are consistent with it, and him.
When he fights you you say "NO" and say "it will be done soon"
Try reading to him.....tickling his back....sitting w/ him watching t.v....hold him....anything that can get you through 15-20 min.
This is a "have to thing" not really an option! GOOD LUCK
and if you need to talk, or have any other questions, feel free to send me a private message.
Blessings,
Jodi
Hi. My son had the same issue. He is 7 now but we started with his inhalers, etc. when he was just 3 years old.
I would recommend getting a second opinion, because this is a lot of medicine and for sure it affects behavior. I am not not recommending holding off on the medicine (we did medicate my son) but just get a second opinion from our WONDERFUL allergist - Dr. Paul Detjen in Winnetka. He has never steered us wrong. My friends, whose children have the most severe asthma and allergies, only go to see Dr. Detjen. His number is 847-256-5505. Good luck!
My son was started on breathing treatments at a young age also and he didnt like it at first but the dr told me that when the child is crying or screaming it actually works the best since they are continously sucking in air. Eventually he got over it and we made a game out of it. Give him time and he will come around with it. Good Luck!!!
Are you using a nebulizer with a mask? My son started breathing treatments at 4 months old and at some point he decided he didn't like them. Some options if you are using a nebulizer--let him hold the mask on his face without the band around his head, look for a cute dragon looking mask made for kids to be used with the nebulizers, let your son to the nebulizer on and off when it is done. It was a long time ago and these are some of the things I remember.
Hi! I have a 19 mo. old who has the same issues. Our doctor suggested waving it under their mouth/nose instead of using a mask, also I don't know if your child uses a pacifire or not, but they also make a pacifire attachment for the neb.
Play a game with him you put in your mouth and said boy this is great and then said it your trun and he should be better at it . My 1 year old like to play the game and then i can't get it back.From [email protected]
As someone who has battled asthma her entire life, that seems like a lot of treatments for wheezing that only the doctor hears. Since you seem to have reservations yourself, I'd definitely get a second opinion. In the meantime, simply holding the neb near his face and letting him breathe naturally should get enough of the medication into his system. That's how we medicate my nephew when he has breathing problems.
Hi Erin. I am a respiratory therapist, and it is difficult to listen to your child cry throughout these treatments, but keep in mind when he cries he takes a deep breath and the medicine gets right to his lungs. They have come out with a new nebulizer that is called 3 minute neb, we us them at the hospital, they seem to work pretty well. Ask your doctor about it or where you got your neb machine (health equipment store) The nebs at home do take forever, but trying it for a little while will help. This time of year is bad for young kids with the changes in the weather. Your doing a great job, keep trying he will tolerate them soon???
Dear erin,
i am a mother of two daughters with ashtma and i also have it myself. I also have a child at my job that has a hard time. I know your son is only 18 months but i found it to be easier and helped calm them down when i went to walmart or any drug store and bought flavored chap sticks . I rub it on the mask where the child can smell it and i put enopugh on it to make the smell stay on it until the treatment is over. I have also tried the mouth piece and let my kids chew on it . I think the biggest thing for them and myself is the taste of the medicine that bothers us . I hope this might be of some help .. But always remember to ask your dr for the options of different meds or go for a second opinion . I did and we where changed from albuterol to xopenex which doesnt make our hearts race s fast and we shake less. Best of luck. Jenny
Hi Erin,
My son has asthma and has been on flovent since he was 8 months. He is now almost 4 and every time we have tried to ween him off he's been hospitalized. It has been very frustrating. We've used a nebulizer and he has been on lots of steroids.
I just got to the point where I decided enough was enough and I went in search of alternative ways to deal with it. I started asking myself what could be causing the problems since his diet had been changed and we had found a new home for our cat.
What I found was the Body Ecology Diet. Basically in a nut shell it was created for those of us who have an overgrowth of yeast in our systems. When our children are born they should be innoculated with all the healthy bacteria in our bodies, but when we don't have it to pass on, they're digestive systems don't form properly and they can get what is called leaky gut. What this means is that there are places along the digestive track that are permeable and when certain foods are eaten they slip through the holes and into the bloodstream causing allergic reactions and other ailements. The overgrowth yeast wipes out what healthy bacteria we do have in our systems making it very difficult for our bodies to digest food properly and/or heal themselves.
Even an 18th month old is smart. My son used to fight the treatments too. I wish I had known then what I know now. I urge you to please go to the body ecology website www.bodyecology.com and take the candida quiz. I also would urge you to get your child on the probiotic drink that it suggests. You can make it at home. Asthma will not correct itself, but we can correct it with proper diet and nutrition. Get the book, read it- join the messsageboard and poke around. And feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Blessings,
Jessica
My son, who is now 5 years old, hated to do the nebulizer treatments. He would fight and cry. We had a fish mask from the doctors office and I would call it the "fishy". I would sit with him and let him watch his favorite show while he was doing the "fishy" and that was a treat for him but also a distraction from the medication and noise. I would turn off the TV if he took off his mask and he would put it back on to get the TV on. It took awhile, but now he is use to the fishy and doesn't mind it.
I know you have many suggestions, and even one at least that I read referring to diet, such as body ecology(first time I've heard about it). In the past I had horrible asthmatic sumptoms, and couldn't even leave the house without an asthma medication and spacer, just in case I would need it... having some kind of coughing attack where my lungs would just close up and I couldn't breathe. I even had those treatments you are speaking of, as a teenager, adn I hated the way the medicine made me feel- anxious and shaky.
All of that changed once I started on the Eat Right For Your Blood Type program. I do not use any medication at all right now, and I only have some congestion and issues like that if I eat things that I know will cause me trouble.
I am so relieved to be able to be in control of my health, and it is as simple as eating right for your blood type, and much less invasive that those treatments and medication.
Do yourself and your baby a favor. I really hope you do. I have been eating this way for the last eight years and it really works. It is specific to each person, so it will help.