The quick-relief medication most often prescribed by health care providers for young children, including infants, has been albuterol. This medication can be taken by young children in one of three ways:orally (as a syrup), inhaled using a pediatric mask and metered-dose inhaler, or inhaled using a nebulizer.

Oral Medication

For infants that nurse or are bottle-fed, a pacifier can be used with a medication cup attached to it. An infant will suck the liquid past the taste buds and swallow the medication. Everyday teaspoons should not be used because the infant could get an incorrect dose.

Less medicine, though, goes to the lungs with this route. Also, more side effects will be experienced, and it may take up to thirty minutes before any effect is seen.

Inhaler and Spacer

This includes a holding chamber with pediatric mask, a device attached to the inhaler. While these devices are portable and inexpensive, they can be difficult if the child does not want to put them on. Keep in mind that inhaled medications will not work unless they reach the airways so make sure that the mask is snug. Talk to your provider for suggestions on doing this properly. The advantage to this method is that it delivers medicine directly to the lungs. It is much faster to administer to a young child and does not require a child to sit still for ten minutes, as when given by nebulizer.

When using the spacer, release only one dose at a time for the child to breathe in. If two doses are put into the spacer at once, the child will not get the full dose. It is important to check with your pharmacist to determine how often your child's brand of albuterol must be primed (firing of the unit to load the valve in the puffer) before using, especially if it has not been used recently. This will vary from product to product.

Nebulizer

This electronic air compressor delivers asthma medication as a mist and quickly gets the needed medicine to the lungs. However, it is an expensive machine. Children also must sit still for ten to fifteen minutes for the mist to work. With very young children, a face mask is required. This face mask, though, must be placed against the child's face so the right dose of medicine is being inhaled. If the mask is held even about a half an inch away, much of the dose will not be inhaled.