Actionsets help people take an active role in managing a health condition.  Helping your child use a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) with a mask spacer

Why? - Why the action is important? Why should my child use a metered-dose inhaler with a mask spacer?

Using a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) with a mask spacer is helpful because:

  • It provides a puff of medication in an accurate, measured dose.
  • It can help keep your child's symptoms under control and may help prevent long-term damage to his or her lungs.
  • When an MDI with a mask spacer is used effectively, most of the medication is delivered directly to your child's lungs and does not travel throughout the body. This may prevent or decrease side effects in the rest of your child's body.
  • Your child may be able to use less medication than is found in a pill but get the same effect.
  • The medication may work faster than a pill.

Test Your Knowledge

  1. An MDI with a mask spacer may help your child avoid side effects of medication.

    1. True
    2. False

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Author: Douglas Dana
Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Last Updated: June 13, 2007
Medical Review: Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics
Robert L. Cowie, MB, FCP(SA), MD, MSc, MFOM - Pulmonology
Harold S. Nelson, MD - Allergy and Immunology

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