Is nebulizer being recommended more now than in past

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amother

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 2:35 pm

So my other kids, now through teens, had the standard colds, Bronchiolitis, and similar childhood respiratory illnesses as babies. We never owned a nebulizer before. My current 4 month old, a healthy full term baby as well, has his second cold and both times was prescribed albuterol with nebulizer. I'm wondering if pediatricians are recommending it more these days (perhaps because vaporizers have fallen out of favor due to concerns of spreading mold and viruses?) Or if there is ch'v something more compromised about this baby's lungs that makes it necessary.

keym

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 2:39 pm

I'll tell you that my 14 yr old and 12 yr old both had several nebulizer treatments from birth to 1 yr from common cold.
My 3 yr old never did.
Are you using the same pediatrician all the time?
Different doctors respond slower or faster and are more/less cautious.

shabbatiscoming

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 2:48 pm

No, I think its a personal thing, not generational thing.
My husband used a nebulizer his whole life (bad asthma and chest issues). Thankfully, I will say that over the last 5 - 10 years, he hasnt had to use it at all.
I think this is very individual, thats all.

bnm

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 3:01 pm

I grew up with a sibling who is over 25 constantly being nebulized. I myself needed the nebulizer for the first time in my late 20's after using an inhaler for asthma for over 10 years and found the nebulizer more effective.

amother

Wheat

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 4:47 pm

I feel that some docs recommend it faster than others. Ask for saline solution instead of albuterol, and see if you get the same results.

amother

Brown

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 4:55 pm

amother [ Wheat ] wrote:

I feel that some docs recommend it faster than others. Ask for saline solution instead of albuterol, and see if you get the same results.

This is my experience as well, although my pediatrician will tell me whether I can get away with saline in the nebulizer or if Albuterol is really necessary (usually if there is already wheezing when she listens to their lungs we will go straight to Albuterol). Her goal in prescribing Albuterol is often to prevent the need for antibiotics by getting rid of the mucus that is stuck before infection develops. It has worked for my kids, so it's a plan that I appreciate. Right now my six month old is on his fourth or fifth cold already Can't Believe It

The first several she put him on saline only. This time she heard wheezing and we started Albuterol. Before we started using this pediatrician, my oldest was on antibiotics too often for bronchitis. My kids tend towards that, but with Albuterol we have really cut back our need for antibiotics and only use it for strep.

oneofakind

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 4:55 pm

20 years ago my baby was prescribed albuterol by mouth. I think previously they would have prescribed cough medicine.

amother

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 5:03 pm

Thanks everyone for your responses. I fear this child has been exposed to mold and is therefore at risk for asthma or similar which is why I'm overthinking this. It's actually completely possible my older kids were prescribed oral albuterol which I wouldn't remember necessarily. I'll make sure to ask when we go back to recheck. It was also strange that the Dr told me to come back in two weeks to recheck his lungs - I don't think I've been given such instructions in the past. But then I also realized that could be, I declined vaccines due to his cold (this was a well visit) and they want to try to get those done then.

bnm

Wed, Jan 29 2020, 6:33 am

They try not to give albuterol oraly since it makes kids hyperactive. Nebulizing it doesn't usually have the same side effects.

amother

Wed, Jan 29 2020, 8:09 am

So I asked the pediatrician today about it. Indeed they used to prescribe it orally and it made kids hyper. A nebulizer was an expensive machine that was used in hospitals mostly. Now that they got cheaper and most insurances cover it, they switched to prescribing it that way as it's more effective with less side effects. So my baby isn't sicker then his sibs got - that's a relief boruch hashem!

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