Nebulizer for asthma treatment

A nebulizer is sometimes used for asthma because:

• The medication can be given over a longer period of time.
• It may be easier to use for small children or for people who have serious difficulty breathing or have trouble using an inhaler.

In general, nebulizers are used only in urgent care situations in hospitals and clinics and are not recommended for home use.

A nebulizer uses a face mask or mouthpiece to deliver medication in the form of a fine mist (aerosol). You breathe in the nebulized medication through the mouthpiece or face mask. The mouthpiece or face mask needs to be cleaned after each use.

In general, a nebulizer is not appropriate for home use for delivering daily asthma medications to children because it:

• Is difficult to keep the mask on the child's face for the length of time needed for each treatment.
• Is more expensive to use than a metered-dose inhaler (MDI).
• Can deliver more medication than is needed, compared with an inhaler and a spacer. This makes it easier to give a child too much medication.

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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