When you find out that your child has breathing issues, it can be a bit overwhelming at first. There are some children who have such severe breathing issues that they have to use nebulizers to get breathing treatments to help their body be able to breathe better. If your child needs these treatments, but you have never seen or used a nebulizer before, use the following guide to learn what to expect and how to become comfortable with it.

Measure Everything Closely

The nebulizer and the liquid medication will come with directions on how to use them. It is important to realize how essential proper measurements are when giving your child a breathing treatment. Check whatever device you are using to make sure that it is taking the right measurements indicated by the directions on the machine and the medication. If you put too much medication into the machine, it could cause your child to feel ill after their breathing treatment.

Breathing Treatments Take Time

A breathing treatment can take quite a while to complete. Your child will need to continue to breath in the vapors created by the machine until all of the medication has evaporated. The amount of time that it takes for this process to complete varies based on the amount of medication that your child needs to take. Your child will not be able to move around a lot, so this serves a great time to have them read a book or play a game on a handheld device. This will keep them entertained during the treatment.

The Mask Must Stay over Your Child's Nose and Mouth

When your child is getting the breathing treatment, the mask that is attached to the nebulizer must stay over their nose and mouth until the treatment is done if it is going to be as effective as it can be. There are some masks that are simply held up to your child's face and some that actually have straps that go around your child's head. If they have a hard time holding the mask in place, you may want to invest in the mask that is held into place on its own.

It is important to monitor your child after they have a breathing treatment to see if it helps them to be able to breathe better. The doctor will want you to report if the treatments are helping and how your child is handling them to know if they should be continued.