If your child has ever needed albuterol, chances are you’ve been handed either a nebulizer or an inhaler. And if no one walked you through how to actually use that inhaler at home…you’re not alone.
Here’s the deal: the inhaler is your friend. But only if you use it right.
I love inhalers for three big reasons:
You can toss it in your diaper bag, your car, or your kid’s backpack.
You don’t need electricity.
It doesn’t involve 15 minutes of a screaming toddler glued to a machine.
Nebulizers are fine in some situations, but a LOT of that mist ends up in the air, not in your kiddo’s lungs. And let me just say this: the old myth that “if they’re crying, they’re breathing in more medicine” is completely false. When kids cry, less medicine actually reaches their lungs.
So what do you need?
👉 An inhaler and spacer.
Whether you’ve got a toddler or a teen, a spacer (plus a mask for younger kids) makes all the difference. It slows the medicine down, gives your child time to breathe it in calmly, and helps it reach deep into the lungs where it can do its job.
Here's the quick how-to:
Shake the inhaler.
Prime it (spray once into the air) if it hasn’t been used in a few days.
Attach the inhaler to the spacer and get a good seal with your child’s face.
Press the inhaler once, then let your child take six calm, deep breaths in and out.
Wait 30–60 seconds, then repeat if more puffs are needed.
Most albuterol prescriptions are 2–4 puffs every 4 hours as needed for cough, wheeze, or breathing trouble.
That’s it. No drama. No tears (hopefully). And WAY more effective.
Even babies in the NICU can use inhalers like this—it’s that safe and that effective when used properly.
If you have one at home and aren’t sure you’re using it right, now’s the time to practice when your child is calm. You can even turn it into a game: watch the little ball on the spacer rise and fall with each breath!
Share this post