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Asthma in Kids

In Canada, Asthma is the most common chronic disease among children, with 850,000 children under the age of 14 diagnosed.1

Tips for Delivering Inhaler Medication to Children

Ensuring proper medication delivery to your child’s lungs is important so that they can enjoy being a kid and you can be confident knowing their asthma is better controlled.

Below are some helpful tips and tricks to help improve the medication delivery experience when using the AEROCHAMBER PLUS* FLOW-VU* chamber, making it more enjoyable for both you and your child.

  • Make medication time fun: making it like a game or singing a song can create a more enjoyable time for your child 
  • Try to avoid giving medication when your child is crying – you do not want to associate with negative experiences
  • Use a teddy bear or plush doll to demonstrate how to use a chamber, especially when a mask is needed 
  • Talk to your child about their asthma so that they feel more comfortable and confident
Use a AEROCHAMBER PLUS* FLOW-VU* to see if your child is properly inhaling their medication
  • Ensures a proper seal
  • Coordinate the inhaler actuation with their inhalation
  • Practice breath counting
Flow-Vu logo

Helping Children Manage their Asthma

Download our printable activity booklet and help your children understand their asthma. 

Download

Managing Asthma at School

It is important that you and your child are both aware of how to take control and manage their asthma while at school.  Some of the most important actions are:

  • Make sure your child is using the correct chamber with their puffer
  • Meet with your child’s school to talk to them about your child’s asthma
  • Store an extra inhaler and chamber at school
  • Update your child’s Asthma Action Plan with their doctor
  • Practice proper hygiene

Receive a free carrying case when you join the MYAEROCHAMBER* Reminder Program. Perfect for storing your child’s medication, inhaler, and chamber for easy carrying at school!

Get Ready for School

For additional information on how to protect your child this school year, see our Back to School Asthma Checklist!

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When Is the Right Time to Transition to A New Chamber?  

  • Ensure children under 5 years of age are using the correct mask size
  • Your child should begin transitioning from a masked chamber to a mouthpiece chamber around the age of 5, or once they are able to form a proper seal around the mouthpiece
  • Chambers should be replaced every 12 months for optimal medication delivery
AeroChamber FlowVu devices for children and adults

Which is the right spacer for you?

One size does not fit all when it comes to chambers. Make sure your child is using the right chamber for them, use this chart to find the most appropriate chamber.

Download

References

1. Asthma Canada. Asthma Facts and Statistics. https://asthma.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Asthma-101.pdf

2. Institute for Clinical Evaluative Services in Ontario (ICES) 1996. ICES Practice Atlas (second edition), June 1996

3. Bellamy D, Harris T. Poor perceptions and expectations of asthma control: Results of the International Control of Asthma Symptoms (ICAS) Survey of patients and general practitioners. Primary Care Respiratory Journal. Vol 14, Issue 5, October 2005. Pages 252-258

4. GINA Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention, 2020.

5. Asthma Canada Website. https://asthma.ca/get-help/understanding-asthma/

6. The Lung Association. Asthma Medications.

7. Suggett, J., et al. Drug Delivery to the Lungs, 2017.

8. Gillen, M., et al. Pulmonary and Therapeutics, 2018 Oct; 52:8-17.

9. The Ontario Asthma Surveillance Information System (OASIS) and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), Ontario. Asthma statistics. http://lab.research.sickkids.ca/oasis/oasis-statistics/

10. Government of Canada. Fast Facts about Asthma: Data compiled from the 2011 Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada.

11. World Health Organization. Asthma Key Facts. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/asthma

12. Pritchard, J.N. (2020). The Climate is Changing for Metered-Dose Inhalers and Action is Needed. Drug Design, Development, and Therapy. Volume 14, 3043-3055.