Toddler refusing nebulizer treatments

amother

Brunette

Mon, Jan 27 2020, 10:03 pm

You need to get someone to help hold him down and force it. Sorry, but a toddler does not make that decision not to do his nebulizer. Wheezing that's not treated can cause lung damage. Do it enough times until he learns that he has no choice.

amother

Mon, Jan 27 2020, 10:07 pm

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

No force won’t work. This kid has too much going on medically that I should want to create trauma.
It’s not for wheezing btw.
In any case, I need ideas of a more gentle approach...
I guess I first need to figure out what bothers her so much on it. This kid gets weekly lab draws and doesn’t shed a tear so I know she’s teachable and generally very flexible...

amother

Maroon

Mon, Jan 27 2020, 10:08 pm

Find out if you must use the mask or not. My pediatrician has told me at time that it's ok to just make sure the mist is being directed inside even without the mask. But this is definitely not safe in all cases. Otherwise, it will probably take some major distraction. Sorry, been there many times. Refuah shelaima.

amother

Blonde

Mon, Jan 27 2020, 10:10 pm

I'm sorry! I know the feeling.

We were told to use blow-by when the child was fighting the mask. I just hold the tube as close as he/she will let me, and even though they're not getting all of it, they're getting some.

It is always easiest for me with a nursing baby, because I can nurse and aim it at their nose and they usually don't fight that... Toddlers are definitely the hardest.

If there may be some element of fear involved, maybe have them give you a saline treatment using the nebulizer, so they have a chance to be in control.

ETA: The spacer/inhaler never worked for us.

amother

Mon, Jan 27 2020, 10:12 pm

amother [ Maroon ] wrote:

Tried it without mask today by just holding up to trach (mask to trach is not bothersome like to nose/mouth btw) she still refused & kept on pushing me away, pulling away from me or turning off the machine Can't Believe It

Going to try to do puffs at least for part of the treatments. It’s 3 treatments 2-4 times a day Hiding

Then still need to do vest treatments (which is a parsha on its own...)

amother

Mon, Jan 27 2020, 10:15 pm

amother [ Vermilion ] wrote:

Is using an inhaler an option? It's just 2 quick puffs thru a spacer tubr and you're done.

That’s what I’m hoping. Ped suggested this, so going to speak to pulm on thurs to get that at least for the albuterol.

amother

Brown

Mon, Jan 27 2020, 10:53 pm

Can you get fun children's nebulizers? We have a puppy, racing car, panda, monkey... (insurance covers 1 per child per year). Still not easy but less scary than a big grey machine.
Hugs OP, going through the same nebulizer struggle with my youngest multiple times a day.

amother

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 12:10 am

amother [ Pumpkin ] wrote:

Can you do some of it while she's sleeping?

Wouldn’t help much because need to do it before, after and with vest which will just wake her

amother

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 12:13 am

amother [ Brown ] wrote:

We have a fishy neb too but she doesn’t seem to care about that 🤷‍♀️ and for the most part we’re using a small white one (& one med needs a special neb too)
How old is your kid, brown?

amother

Cyan

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 12:33 am

Did you try talking to her about it to figure out what it is that bothers her most about it. Also showing it to her, exactly how it works and how it will help her...

amother

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 12:39 am

amother [ Cyan ] wrote:

Did you try talking to her about it to figure out what it is that bothers her most about it. Also showing it to her, exactly how it works and how it will help her...

Yes. She said it was “too tight” so we loosened the vest and she was still yelling too tight so she claimed the tie around the mask was too tight (was not), but we still loosened it & then took it off altogether just me holding the mask up then tried taking mask off & holding it to trach & she’s still fighting like crazy.
Showed her YouTube videos of other kids doing it too, helped for like 2 minutes

rachel6543

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 12:48 am

What about showing your toddler videos of other kids and people using a nebulizer? And talk about what they see. And ask you toddler to show you how to use it like in the video? I find my toddler is better with new or scary things when I explain everything that is going to happen. And Sesame Street videos are great!

Here's a Sesame Street video showing a Sesame Street monster using a nebulizer.
https://www.sesamestreet.org/toolkits/asthma

amother

Seagreen

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 12:55 am

I don't have any experience with a trach, but my child who needs a nebulizer complains about the bitter taste of the Albuterol. We let her pick out a package of candy or chocolate or whatever treat she wants and she gets to eat it immediately after her treatment to get rid of the horrible taste. Of course we still need to distract her while she's getting the treatment so she's allowed to watch a video or play a game on the tablet or whatever works.

It's not easy. Refuah shelaima!

amother

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 1:01 am

amother [ Seagreen ] wrote:

Makes sense. None of those nebs have too good of a taste... With a trach though it bypasses the mouth so it’s just a bit of the mist that can occasionally reach her mouth and she’s sucking on a lollipop during for distraction purposes. So there goes that...