- Follow your child’s asthma management plan for directions on how many times a day the doctor wants your child to use the nebulizer.
- Gather all parts of the nebulizer, the air compressor machine, the tubing, the mouthpiece, and the medication. Put all the parts of the nebulizer together according to the manufacturer’s instructions and attach it to one end of the tubing; attach the other end of the tubing to the compressor.
- Pour the medication into the nebulizer cup. Put the mouthpiece on the nebulizer.
- Have your child sit upright. Place the mouthpiece in your child’s mouth, between the teeth with the lips closed tightly around it to make a seal. The nebulizer must be straight up and down.
- Turn the compressor on. A fine mist of medication will be created.
- Your child should breathe in and out normally. Every fourth breath, your child should take a deep breath in and hold it, then breathe normally again. Your child is getting the medication if you see the mist rolling into the mouth as he or she breathes in.
- Your child must keep the mouthpiece in place and sit upright until no more mist is coming out and the treatment is finished.
- When the treatment is finished, turn off the compressor and disconnect the tubing from the nebulizer and the mouthpiece.
- Clean and store the nebulizer and mouthpiece as directed by the manufacturer. Proper care will keep the equipment working well. Nebulizers should not be shared. Check the air compressor’s filter regularly and replace it when it gets dirty.
Download the Nebulizer with Mouthpiece (PDF)
