anyone's LO use inhaler w/ spacer?

groovygrl

DD has been on daily steroid inhaler for almost a year now, and we have not had much problem with it. Recently I feel like when I put the inhaler into the spacer & push, the spray of the medication into the chamber is not very visible and I don't hear the same big puff sound... when I test it into the air outside the spacer, it works fine... and she has had a bit of a cough lately as well (her telltale symptom) but of course it is cold out too...but tonight I gave her 2 puffs of albuterol b/c the dry cough just kept coming & she asked to use it- first time I've given her the albuterol in a long time... on the first puff it was the same thing, I couldn't really see it and it didnt make much of a puff noise coming out...so I tested it into the air to be sure it was working ok and sure enough, it sprayed totally normally into the air. 2nd puff in the spacer was more of the same...adn her cough didn't get any better .
There are definitely many more doses left in both inhalers and the spacer is only about 6 months old maybe.

This seems really weird like I'm imagining it but I want to make sure she is getting her medication...no luck googling & I may call the pharmacy in teh morning to find out if they know anything about this happening but figured I'd see if others have had this experience too.

snicksnack

Our cat has asthma and has to use the same type of spacer a child would use.  I am not sure if all of them have this but ours has a flap that moves when he breaths so we can make sure he is taking it in does your have that?  Any chance she is not breathing the medication in?  I also have asthma and this time of year with the cold I have a cough even with meds.  It could just be that.  Another option is to ask your doc if albuterol would impact you in any negative way and try the inhaler with spacer yourself.  All it does to me is make my heart race, which I hate, so I try to avoid using it. I don't know what impact it would have on someone without asthma.  I have used it without having syspthoms as preventative when I was in high school under doc. orders so it does not have to only be used during an attack.

2chatter

I was having trouble with getting a new mask and tubing and considered moving to a spacer, but both the ped and several friends with lung issues said that the best way to deliver albuterol and pulmicort is with a nebulizer because it gets in there and more deeply.  I know it takes more time, but would you consider a nebulizer?  Might be a question to ask the ped - I know here I can call their office with issues, or I can call the hospital that sold us the nebulizer.

aglenn

DD's will get kind of cloudy/coated after a while and needs to be washed thoroughly.  Maybe yours is just starting to get this way and it's harder to see?

jc&cat

DS used an inhaler and spacer for 2 years or so. How old is your spacer? I was informed by the respiratory therapist that it should be replaced annually. Agree with the cleaning suggestion too. We were told to wash with dish soap and hot water and drip dry. It could be just getting old from use. 

di0607

This is specifically the reason why we do inhaler/spacer in the mornings but at night I insist on using the nebulizer with the child mask. This way I'm assured that they are getting at least one really good session in where I'm not paranoid about how many breaths and if they are deep enough.

groovygrl

spacer is only 6-8 months old. DD got thrush one time so I do wash it w/ warm water and soap about once a week (and she brushes her tongue better & rinses better too)... eh, who knows, maybe it is just something weird and her cough is increased b/c of the cold, we'll see how it goes I guess.