A metered-dose inhaler contains a canister of medicine. When you press the inhaler, it sprays a pre-set amount of medicine through your mouth to your airways.

HOW TO USE IT

Here are general steps for how to use a metereddose inhaler. Always read and follow the instructions that come with your inhaler. If you don’t use your inhaler correctly, you won’t get the right amount of medicine.

• Take off the cap. Shake the inhaler. Prime the inhaler, if needed, as shown in your instructions.

• If you use a spacer, put the inhaler in the rubber ring on the end of the spacer.

• Stand up or sit up straight.

• Breathe out completely to empty your lungs.

• Place the mouthpiece in your mouth and close your lips around it to form a tight seal.

• As you start to breathe in, press down firmly on the top of the medicine canister to release one “puff” of medicine. Continue to breathe in slowly for 3 to 5 seconds. Take as big a breath as possible.

• Hold your breath and count to 10.

• Take the mouthpiece out of your mouth. Release your breath.

• If your action plan says to take more than 1 puff of medicine, wait 1 minute between puffs. Repeat steps 3 through 8 for each puff you need to take.

• Put the cap back on the inhaler.

• If your medicine is an inhaled corticosteroid, rinse your mouth with water and spit it out. Rinsing will help to prevent an infection in the mouth.

A dry powder inhaler contains pre-set doses of medicine in powder form. When you take a deep, fast breath in from the inhaler, the medicine is released into your airways.

HOW TO USE IT

Here are general steps for how to use a dry powder inhaler. Always read and follow the instructions that come with your inhaler. If you don’t use your inhaler correctly, you won’t get the right amount of medicine.

1. Open the cover. Hold the inhaler as shown in your instructions.

2. Load a dose of medicine as shown in your instructions. Do not tip or shake the inhaler.

3. Stand up or sit up straight.

4. Holding the inhaler away from your mouth, breathe out completely to empty your lungs.

5. Place the mouthpiece of the inhaler in your mouth. Close your lips around it to form a tight seal.

6. Take a fast, deep, forceful breath in through your mouth. Take as big a breath as possible.

7. Hold your breath and count to 10.

8. Take the inhaler out of your mouth. Breathe out slowly.

9. If you have an action plan and it says to take more than 1 dose of medicine, wait 1 minute between doses. Repeat steps 2 through 8.

10. When you finish, close the cover. Store the inhaler in a cool, dry place (not in the bathroom).

11. If your medicine is an inhaled corticosteroid, rinse your mouth with water and spit it out. Rinsing helps to prevent an infection in the mouth.

12. Some multi-dose dry powder inhalers have a built-in counter to tell you how many doses are left. When the counter gets to “0,” throw it away. Get a refill of your inhaler before the counter gets to “0.”

A nebulizer is a machine that delivers a fine, steady mist of medicine through a mouthpiece or mask.

HOW TO USE IT

Here are general steps for how to use and clean a nebulizer. Always read and follow the instructions that come with your nebulizer. If you don’t use your nebulizer correctly, you won’t get the medicine you need.

1. Wash hands well.

2. Put together the nebulizer machine, tubing, medicine cup, and mouthpiece or mask as shown in your instructions.

3. Put the prescribed amount of medicine into the nebulizer cup.

4. Place the mouthpiece in your mouth and close your lips around it to form a tight seal. If your child uses a mask, make sure it fits snugly against the child’s face and covers their nose and mouth.

5. Turn on the nebulizer machine. You should see a light mist coming from the back of the tube opposite the mouthpiece or from the mask.

6. Take normal breaths through the mouth until the medicine cup is empty or the mist stops. This takes about 10 minutes.

7. Take the mouthpiece out of your mouth (or remove your child’s mask) and turn off the machine.

8. If the medicine is an inhaled corticosteroid, rinse your (or your child’s) mouth with water and spit it out. Rinsing helps to prevent an infection in the mouth. If using a mask, also wash your child’s face.

A peak flow meter is a hand-held device that shows how well air moves out of your lungs.

Measuring your peak flow can help you:

• Know how well your asthma is controlled.
• Alert you to an oncoming asthma attack hours or even days before you feel symptoms.
• During an attack, it can help tell you how bad the attack is and if your medicine is working.

It also helps you and your health care provider:

• Learn what makes your asthma worse.
• Decide if your treatment plan is working well.
• Decide when to add or stop medicine.
• Decide when to seek emergency care.

Every morning when you wake up, before taking your asthma medicine, take your peak flow by following the steps below. Make this part of your daily routine. Check this number against the peak flow zones on your written asthma action plan. Use the zone that your peak flow is in to make treatment decisions. It’s also a good idea to ask your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care professional to show you how to use your peak flow meter.

1. Always stand up. Remove any food or gum from your mouth.

2. Make sure the marker on the peak flow meter is at the bottom of the scale.

3. Breathe in slowly and deeply. Hold that breath.

4. Place mouthpiece on your tongue and close lips around it to form a tight seal (do not put tongue in the hole).

5. Blow out as hard and fast as possible.

6. Write down the number next to the marker. (If you cough or make a mistake, don’t write down that number. Do it over again.)

7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 two more times.

8. Record the highest of these numbers in a notebook, calendar, or asthma diary.