Nebulized inhalation medication is a common treatment for acute attacks of respiratory infections, wheezing diseases or asthma in children, and its efficacy is rapid and reliable. There are not a few people who own nebulization devices (or air compression pumps) at home, so it is important for parents to understand how to properly nebulize their babies at home.
The principle of nebulized inhalation is that the gas is suddenly depressurized through a narrow mouth, and the negative pressure generated locally sucks out the medicine and forms mist particles. The size of the drug mist particles is related to the pressure and flow rate of the airflow, and the size of the jet nebulized mist particles is 3~5um, which can be better deposited in the small airways to play a therapeutic role. According to the “expert consensus on pediatric nebulization”, there are four types of drugs that can be used for nebulized inhalation: β2-agonists, such as salbutamol solution (or terbutaline nebulized suspension); anticholinergic drugs: ipratropium bromide nebulized solution; surface corticosteroids: budesonide nebulized suspension and compound preparations: compound ipratropium bromide ipratropium bromide (ipratropium bromide and salbutamol). For reasons of efficacy and safety, nebulized inhalation is not recommended for other drugs. Since some of the nebulized inhalation drugs are water-insoluble suspensions, the drugs cannot be inhaled using an ultrasonic nebulizer.
Nebulized inhalation therapy drugs can act quickly and directly on the lungs at higher concentrations, with high local drug concentrations and rapid and reliable efficacy. Since children metabolize drugs faster than adults, and young children metabolize drugs faster than older children, the amount of drugs inhaled into the lungs is directly related to age, and the younger the age, the smaller the amount of drugs inhaled into the lungs. Therefore, it is generally not necessary to calculate the dose of inhaled therapeutic drugs based on body weight. Nebulized inhalation is usually more effective when salbutamol solution (2.5~5mg) and budesonide suspension (0.5~1mg) are used at the same time, and if the condition is serious, ipratropium bromide (250~500ug) can be used in combination, which can be nebulized directly without dilution, or diluted with 2ml of saline according to the situation, generally nebulized inhalation 2~3 times a day.
When nebulized inhalation, it is necessary to pay attention to wash hands thoroughly before preparing the drug or taking the drug, rinse the mouthpiece, mask and dosing part of the accessories with water after nebulization is finished, and unclog the nozzle with a special through-needle regularly. After cleaning and unclogging the nozzle, use saline to spray for at least 5 min, and put the mouthpiece and mask in disinfectant solution for soaking and disinfection. The mask should be fastened to the mouth and nose, and each nebulized inhalation should be, at least, 10-20 minutes.
Finally, at the end of the nebulization, do not forget to wash the baby’s face.