For parents of CFers: Tips for nebulizing a 10mo. old

When we first started nebulizer treatments 2 weeks ago, I was introduced to the new regimine by a puppy dog eyed specialist who used his quietest close talking voice to tell me he wasn’t sure how I would make it through the treatment regimine without some help. Perhaps he said that to turn me on to a challenge. I know that tactic. I’m a mom, after all. I’ve used that on my 4 year old to egg him on into trying to do something on his own.

I left the specialists office highly motivated to prove him wrong. Granted, I was sobbing as I left. Sobbing and tapping. (If you don’t know what tapping is, that’s a question for the resident acupuncturist).

Over the past two weeks I’ve discovered that nebulizer treatments can be pretty fun. They are a time to:

1. challenge your creativity

2. act completely silly

3. realize you actually have a great team around you. (I ask anybody who happens to be around if they are interested in giving me a hand in helping my 10 month old sit still while I put a mask over his mouth and nose). Wouldn’t you be up to that challenge?

I’ve discovered that the following things work very well:

1. Put on a movie that involves lots of dancing with bright costumes (Vegas showgirls excluded–not appropriate). We record episodes of So You Think You Can Dance. Valentino loves the music, costumes and dancing and will sit still for the full 10 minutes of nebulizer treatment

2. Ask siblings to help. I enlist the help of Romeo. I bribe him with the promise of legos or a toy from Target and in exchange he has to do jumping jacks, sing, and keep Val giggling through the treatment. (Sometimes Romeo is jumping up and down in front of Val with a frozen grin on his face asking, “Can I stop now? Will I still get the legos?”)

3. Hold your baby on your hip and do squats. Seriously. This way you get a workout in AND a nebulizer treatment AND your baby has fun. I do at least 3 sets of 15 squats. Valentino loves it.

4. Jog in circles (don’t go to far or the nebulizer cord will pop off the machine–keep the circles small).

Good luck! All of the above ideas work like a charm and are quite fun.

Whatever you do, don’t get discouraged or let anybody tell you nebulizing a 10 month old is really difficult.

Do please submit any suggestions or things that you have found useful when encouraging kids to adhere to their treatment regimine.