How do I get 7 week old to use nebulizer?

Question

I have a 7 week old baby and was prescribed albuterol in a nebulizer. We were given a face mask to put on him but he hates it and cries through the whole 15 minutes. It's our second day and I cant bear to see him cry so long. Does anyone have any other alternatives or ways to get him his medicine without feeling like im torturing him.

Answer 1

oh i know what u mean!!!
The best way to do it is if u are breast feeding him use a mouth piece of the nebulizer bowl without the face mask and as he is feeding just place the piece next to him. he will be to busy to worry about the nebulizer and just think about feeding. Its also a good time beacuse its normaly when they are about to go to sleep.
Try it It really works!!!

Answer 2

There is no reason you should have to put a mask on a 7 week old!

I nannied for a family who had a newborn who needed to use a nebulizer and we just sprayed it into her face, without a mask. There was a tube where the vapor came out that we just directed at her face. I cant believe that your doctor gave you a MASK to put on an infant!! That sounds so cruel. The baby I cared for had Cystic Fibrosis and needed the nebulizer and percussion treatments three times a day. We never had a problem with her.

I was really disturbed to read all the posts that said that there is just no other way. I have a degree in Psychology and Child Development and I think that it is highly emotionally damaging to put the mask on a screaming infant when there are alternatives. Yes, if they are crying, the drug is getting in there, but if they are calmly breathing it's getting in there, too!!

Good luck with your son. I hope he is ok.

Answer 3

I hate to tell you but that really is the only way. I have a 18 month old that we have to use a nebulizer with daily to give him an inhaled steroid. He hate it and cry 90% of the time even after 6 monthes of doing it. I know as a parent you feel bad when they cry but you gotta do it to keep them healthy. I've seen moms just kinda spray it towards there face but we were told by many doctors and our asthma specialists that you lose 50% of the medication by doing it that way. The best way for a child under the age of 3 - 4 is the mask. Try doing it when he is asleep or very groggy so he's so tired he just doesn't care. That what we do with my son. Good luck, but please keep giving the treatment even if he cries. I promise you he wont remeber it by the time he gets older and it actually will get the medicine even deeper in the lung.

Answer 4

I have an asthmatic son who was on Albuterol, from a very early age and he screamed and cryed too. There is no easy way to do this. You might get away with what is called a "blow by method" where you put it close but not totally over their face. I find this helpful, and use this method on my young patients with oxygen in the ambulance. The only good thing about them crying is the drug gets in real deep into their lil lungs thru crying. Sorry it is hard I know...but the alternative of skipping it or not doing it would be much harder...Keep it up and know how much you are helping your son....breath a lil easier.

Answer 5

If he cries when getting the nebulizer (probably the noise it makes bugs him.) that's actually good - he's getting more of the medication that way!

If he's fighting you on the mask, it's okay to skip the mask and just hold the medicine cup (where the mist is coming out of) as close to his face as you can. He'll still breathe it in and get the effect.

Answer 6

Blow the medicine at him rather than putting on the mask. Some kids just cry because they would rather do anything else. They thing to remember is this "A CRYING BABY IS A BREATHING BABY!" just tell yourself that. When the treatment is over, reward the baby with hugs and kisses and soon the baby will be well! To make it easier on yourself amuse the baby by pretending to cry, sometimes the baby will break out and laugh just to cheer you up. Babies love to use tears to train us...what other tools do they have? You know the treatment doesn't hurt and you are not physically hurting the baby.

Answer 7

Talk to your doctor, but I think the mask is the only way you can go. My son hated using his nebulizer also. I also hated seeing him cry and carry on, but it is something he needs. Maybe after a while you baby will get accustomed to using it. Right now he's in a new world and it's very scary for him. Also with him crying he has to take deep breathes which is very good to help clean out the lungs.

Answer 8

Give the nebulizer in smaller doses, and go with him in a small closed off room and let the nebulizer fell the room that way you can hold him well medicating him. If that dose not work talk to your Doctor about an alternative medication. There are other medications out there that are more sensitive for babies but they normally cost more!

Answer 9

My eldest son had to use one 4 times a day when he was little and now when he gets sick.
I know it is difficult to watch/hear your little one cry but when he is crying he is breathing deeply and that means that more of the medicine is getting into his lungs and treatment will be more effective.
Make sure the mask isn't too tight or pinching and make sure you cuddle him and talk to him while he is using it.
My son eventually got used to it but he absolutely hated it in the beginning.
You are not torturing him, you are helping him and trying to be the best parent you can be!!!

ps - it's ok to cry with him - I did!!

Answer 10

Although it's hard to watch your baby cry through this process take to heart the fact that the crying actually makes him take deeper breaths and gets the medicine where it needs to go. You could try distracting him a colorful mobile or singing, but at that age the noise of the machine is enough to freak him out. He will get used to it!