Home Nebuliser

Hi,

i'm a new user as i've decided to reach out beyond the nhs, i'm frustrated at how little i've been prepped to deal with my 7 year old's asthma (she has been diagnosed since 2 and a 1/2). Recently it has got a lot worse and she has needed an ambulance called out 3 times in the last 7 weeks. So around to my discussion topic, has anyone got a home nebuliser? i have decided to request one from my GP and i'm wondering what the chances are. I am so tired of seeing my daughter struggle for breath! Are there any conditions to satisfy before it is deemed necessary for us to have one at home? if you have one, do they make a difference?

Thanks

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hi there my 5yr old son got a nebulizer home yesterday for 1 week to take at night hes already on singulair the dose for his age the doc didnt want to put him on seriods again so i said hes coughs that much he needs a nebulizer so thats what we got and lewis took it before bed and he was as calm not struggling for breath and he didnt cough once the best sleep in months.just tell the doc you know your child insist. good luck

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Hi Penguin,

Welcome to the forum and I'm sorry to hear about the tough time you are having with your daughter's asthma. It must be very worrying. There has been considerable discussion of home nebulisers on the boards (put 'home nebuliser' in the search box) and several members have written detailed posts, e.g. this one by Emily H, who was at the time a junior doctor in a respiratory department - asthma.org.uk/applications/... . There are a few concerns about their use, principally that people can leave it too late to get themselves to medical help though of course there are cases where they are necessary and useful.

Is your child's asthma looked after solely in primary care? If so, in view of the frequent ambulance call outs, it might be worth considering asking about a referral to see if better control can be achieved. If she is being seen by a specialist, have you discussed home nebulisers with him/her?

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Hi there

home nebulisers are a very last resort in most cases if not all! If your child is struggling you should always either call 999 or your gp - you can however use 10 doses of ventolin through a spacer whilst waiting for the ambulance etc as this is widely viewed as a good alternative to a nebuliser though this should always be discussed with your GP or consultant to see if they are happy with you doing this.

Hope this helps

Lv KitKat Xx

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10 puffs given via a spacer should only be given if your doctor or nurse has said this is ok.

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Hi Penguin

I use a home nebuliser (Omron model) . It is a vital piece of equipment and helps me through exacerbations and chest infections, if I didn't have it A & E attendances would be more frequent. Only hospital Consultants can provide them unless you buy one yourself. I would speak to your GP about a referral to a Paediatrican though.

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Hi Penguin

My 6 year old has a home nebuliser and was given it on loan from the nhs by her consultant.

I believe we only recieved it as a last resort and because her asthma is extremely brittle in that she goes downhill very quickly without warning. That being said we also nebulise her steroids, although the plan hopefully is to get her back onto steroid inhalers eventually.

I'm not sure there are ""conditions"" as such you need to meet before you can qualify to get one but I do know that they are very rarely given out now as has been previously mentioned people tend to over rely on them and delay calling ambulances in the belief that they can manage at home.

I would talk to your gp and ask for a refferal to a specialist or a consultant to discuss your daughters asthma as she sounds as if she's really uncontrolled.

I probably wouldn't recommend buying a nebuliser as the gp or consultant may decided not to prescribe the medication for it.

I can relate to how you feel as we've been there and its awful to watch your children suffering. I hope things get better soon for you and you're daughter. We're thinking about you

Take care

Anne

xxx

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Hi guys,

thanks for the advice. had a telephone consultation with my GP today and he has suggested that we do NOT have a nebuliser at home as he feels use of salbutamol inhaler with spacer is more effective and that the nebuliser is good for when a sufferer is incapable of using inhaler and spacer, and he feels that if the attack is as bad as this then hospitalisation is necessary. i am taking my daughter in tomorrow to reassess her plan and up the becotide dosage for each morning and evening.

I'll keep you posted. Thanks again for advice and support.

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my mother has a home nebuliser. I asked for one for my son who is also 7 as he is regularly admitted to hospital as when he has a bad attack his inhalers don't work. I got refused, they said if he needs nebuliser as treatment he should really be in hospital. I guess it depends on the doctoers, the hospital and the area. My sons asthma care is appalling.