Helping Your Child Use a Metered-Dose Inhaler With a Mask and Spacer: Care Instructions
A metered-dose inhaler lets your child breathe a measured dose of medicine into their lungs. The best way to get the medicine into your child's lungs is to use a spacer. The spacer holds the dose of medicine so your child can use as many breaths as needed to inhale it.
A regular spacer has a mouthpiece that younger children have a hard time using. They can use a mask with a spacer instead. The mask spacer fits over the child's mouth and nose.
Read the instructions that come with the inhaler and the spacer. Inhalers come in different shapes, sizes, and doses. Each kind is used differently.
Understand how to use the inhaler and spacer. Ask the nurse, doctor, pharmacist, or respiratory therapist to make sure that you use them the right way.
Make sure to use the right inhaler at the right time. Label each inhaler if you have more than one.
Get inhaler refills before you run out. Use the dose counter to see how many doses are left.
Follow the instructions for cleaning the inhaler and the spacer. They will help you do it the right way for each inhaler.
Check the instructions to see if you need to prime the inhaler (get it ready) before use. If it needs priming, follow the instructions for how to do so.
How to help your child
Follow these steps for using a metered-dose inhaler with a mask spacer.
Shake the inhaler for 5 seconds. Remove the cap.
slide 1 of 8, Shake the inhaler for 5 seconds. Remove the cap.,
Hold the inhaler upright with the mouthpiece at the bottom. Then place the mouthpiece of the inhaler into the spacer.
slide 2 of 8, Hold the inhaler upright with the mouthpiece at the bottom. Then place the mouthpiece of the inhaler into the spacer.,
Place the mask spacer securely over your child's mouth and nose. Be sure to get a good seal. The mask must fit snugly, with no gaps between the mask and the skin.
slide 3 of 8, Place the mask spacer securely over your child's mouth and nose. Be sure to get a good seal. The mask must fit snugly, with no gaps between the mask and the skin.,
With the mask spacer in place, press down on the inhaler to spray 1 puff of medicine into the spacer.
slide 4 of 8, With the mask spacer in place, press down on the inhaler to spray 1 puff of medicine into the spacer.,
Keep the mask spacer in place, and have your child breathe in and out normally for 5 or 6 breaths.
slide 5 of 8, Keep the mask spacer in place, and have your child breathe in and out normally for 5 or 6 breaths.,
If your child needs another puff of medicine, wait 1 minute between puffs.
slide 6 of 8, If your child needs another puff of medicine, wait 1 minute between puffs.,
Replace the cap on the inhaler.
slide 7 of 8, Replace the cap on the inhaler.,
Have your child rinse their mouth with water if the inhaler has corticosteroids, such as fluticasone. (Controller inhalers usually have corticosteroids.) Do not let your child swallow the water.
slide 8 of 8, Have your child rinse their mouth with water if the inhaler has corticosteroids, such as fluticasone. (Controller inhalers usually have corticosteroids.) Do not let your child swallow the water.,
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
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Current as of: November 13, 2022
Author: Healthwise Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
