• Careers
  • Education
  • Research
Ochsner Health Ochsner Health
  • About
  • Find A Doctor (current)
  • Find A Location
  • Specialties & Treatments
MyOchsner Logo
Login | Signup
Submit Search
Close Search
  •   Home
  • In To Your Health...
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
  • I need to...
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Location
  • Find A Specialty
  • Schedule An Appointment
  • Pay A Bill
  • Explore
  • About Ochsner
  • Careers
  • Patients & Visitors
  • "To Your Health" Blog
  • Health Resources
  • Medical Professionals
  • Education
  • Philanthropy
  • Community Outreach
  • Research
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Schedule an Appointment
  • Call: 1-866-624-7637
  • Online: Login to MyOchsner
  • Personalize your content
  • patient Edit Persona Persona Chooser
To Your Health

View Newsletter Editions
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
Thinkstockphotos 103583168 Inhaler Kids

Introducing Inhalers To Your Child

Sep 28, 2017 |
By Kristin Van Hook, MD
Share Facebook Logo Twitter Logo Pinterest Logo Email Logo

Inhalers can be great options for managing children’s asthma, and it’s important for kids to feel familiar and comfortable with their use.

Asthma inhalers

Asthma inhalers are portable, hand-held devices that deliver medication to your lungs. They are used to help prevent or treat asthma attacks.

Types of inhalers

There are two types of inhalers: metered dose and dry powder.

Metered dose inhalers are the most common and spray out a mist of liquid medicine that you breathe in, versus dry powder inhalers that deliver medicine in a powder form to the lungs.

It is recommended that people of all ages use a spacer when using a metered dose inhaler. Spacers are inhaler attachments that hold medication between the inhaler and the mouth after it’s released, and help ensure all of the medication reaches the lungs.

Your child’s doctor will help you decide which inhaler is the best fit.

At what age can my child use an inhaler?

Metered dose inhalers with spacers can be used for children as young as infancy. Though dependent on the child, at 5 or 6 years old, some children can begin to administer their own medication using a metered dose inhaler with a spacer, but should be under parent supervision when they do.

It’s important that inhalers are used correctly, so practice makes perfect!

Getting Your Child Involved

Helping your child to be an active participant in his or her asthma management will help them take their medication on time, every time.

Having and going over an asthma action plan together is one way to engage your child. This plan is written with your child’s doctor, and includes medicine to take, possible triggers, and what to do in the case of a full-blown flare up.

It is especially important to stress two key concepts to children: they should take their long-term control medicines even when feeling well, and they must keep their quick-relief medicine on hand, no matter where they are.

Tags
pediatrics
asthma
inhaler
allergies

You may also be interested in:

Woman with pills
Health Trends
May 28, 2018

What Medical Supplies Should I Bring with Me in a Hurricane Evacuation?

If you were to evacuate your home would you think to grab your prescription medications list?
Family Having Dinner 535028933
Parenting
Dec 1, 2020

Disorganized Days with Kids? Try Visual Schedules

Visual schedules are a tool that is often used to help children understand time and provide a daily routine.
play button icon
Conditions & Treatment
Dec 6, 2016

Doctor's Note: Asthma Inhalers

Dr. Urrego reviews the most common types of inhalers and how they are used properly.

Comments about the blog? Send us an email!

Ochsner Health Ochsner Health

Schedule An Appointment: 1-866-624-7637

Follow us: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Healthy living tips, delivered weekly to your inbox.

Patients & Visitors

  • Billing & Financial Services
  • Insurance Information
  • International Patients
  • Request Medical Records
  • Share Your Story
  • Read Patient Stories

Medical Professionals

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Refer a Patient

Health Resources

  • To Your Health Blog
  • Golden Opportunity
  • Hello Health Seminars
  • Ochsner Magazine

Job Seekers

  • Career Paths
  • Benefits
  • Open Positions

Employees

  • Webmail
  • OHSLink
  • Workday

Employers

  • Corporate Wellness
  • Medicare Advantage Plans

Community Outreach

  • Classes & Events
  • Programs
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Education

  • Graduate Medical Education
  • Clinical Medical Education
  • Continuing Medical Education
  • Medical Library
  • Publishing Services
  • Medical Illustrations

Research

  • Clinical Trials
  • Applied Health Services Research
  • Clinical Research & Trials
  • Nursing Research
  • Translational Research

Giving

  • Donate
  • Volunteer

About Ochsner

  • Mission & Vision
  • History
  • Annual Report
  • Outcomes & Honors
  • News & Media
  • Alumni
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Contact Us

Shop

  • O Bar
  • Optical Shop
  • Ochsner Fitness Center
  • Brent House Hotel

© Ochsner Health  | Notice of Privacy Practices | Terms of Use | Vendor Information

Ochsner accepts all major insurances.

Ochsner is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, founded on providing the best patient care, research, and education.

We are one of the country’s largest non-university based academic medical centers.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Community Needs Health Assessment

EpicMobile Tablet | EpicMobile Phone

Healthy Living Tips, Delivered Right To Your Inbox

* indicates required


Must Reads
Food and Fitness
Men’s Health
Parenting
Women’s Health

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:


Get Weekly Health Tips

Select the weekly newsletters you'd like to receive.

Please select at least one category to continue.

Curious about our newsletters?

View details for each edition

Let us know where to send your weekly newsletters.

To Your Health- Food and Fitness:
To Your Health- General:
To Your Health- Men’s Health:
To Your Health- Parenting:
To Your Health- Women’s Health:

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:

You're all set!

We’ll send newsletters full of healthy living tips right to your inbox every week.

Ochsner Health System
ESC to Close

Begin Typing to Search

Select the drop-down to filter Search by Blog Articles or Sitewide