Break It Down
First, you need to understand the different parts of your child's metered dose inhaler. Depending on the type of medicine your doctor has prescribed for your child, your inhaler may or may not look exactly like the one pictured on the pages of this tutorial. However, all metered dose inhalers contain these main parts:
- Metal canister that contains your medicine
- Plastic tube called a mouthpiece
- Plastic cap that fits over the end of the mouthpiece
The canister has a pointy tip that fits into a hole in the mouthpiece. When you press down on the end of the canister, it's like pushing down on the tip of a spray can. Medicine sprays out through the mouthpiece.
To make administering the inhaler more accurate with a child, many doctors will also recommend a mask spacer. This is a plastic device that looks something like an oxygen mask. It fits snugly over your child's mouth and nose.
