nebulizer questions

How do you handle when one twin needs it and the other doesn't? We put dd in the pnp when I am alone and have to do the Nebulizer with ds. Otherwise she comes over and grabs everything. Dd does not like this arrangement too much. What do you do? Also, how do you keep the Neubilizer baby occupied not to get upset. I put the tv on or show him a toy but still he does not want to sit still that long and tries to grab everything and cries when I don't let him have it or don't let him get up. We probably only need to do it for a few more days this time around but I am just wondering what others do. Thanks.

 

We always sing songs or read while doing breathing treatments. When my two were your twins age, I would hold both and read while doing the treatment, or let the one not getting the treatment play with our spare "dragon" mask and help sing and dance to entertain his brother. That's what we do now most of the time since Liam loves to sing and dance! It's still hard though, even as they have aged.

Good Luck!
O.

 

QUOTE(~ilyse~ @ Dec 10 2007, 03:24 PM) [snapback]527591[/snapback]
How do you handle when one twin needs it and the other doesn't? We put dd in the pnp when I am alone and have to do the Nebulizer with ds. Otherwise she comes over and grabs everything. Dd does not like this arrangement too much. What do you do? Also, how do you keep the Neubilizer baby occupied not to get upset. I put the tv on or show him a toy but still he does not want to sit still that long and tries to grab everything and cries when I don't let him have it or don't let him get up. We probably only need to do it for a few more days this time around but I am just wondering what others do. Thanks.

 

Mine didn't like his nebulizer at first either. However, my guys are older than your guys. We would turn on the tv, so he could watch it while he was on the nebulizer. As far as my other child, we would let him turn the nebulizer on and carry it back into the kitchen. He thought that was his job.

 

Also, I forgot to mention that the one with the nebulizer was really squirmy with me. My husband started doing it with him and he calmed down a lot. So he ended up calming down the times that I had to do it. I'm not sure what made the difference between DH and myself, but it did.

 

I hate to say it, but sometimes we had the best luck when we put Lilly in a carseat and then gave the treatment. High chairs may work well also. Movies, favorite shows or puzzles can be very helpful.

 

I guess I should have mentioned we don't use the face mask part. They told us not to since he is so small. We just hold the piece under his face so I have been putting him on my lap in front of the tv with a book or toy or something. I guess I could try the high chair or something. Do you think it is better with the face mask?

 

Yes, definitely ask for a face mask. We use one and it's much easier because you have both hands free. (Ours has a strap that goes around to hold it in place.) When we give a treatment, we are typically sitting in the recliner holding one with the TV on. If they squirm, we just have to hold them in place. The doctor told us once in her office that sometimes we have to make them do things they don't want to because they need it. Breathing is not something to mess around with. Anyway...I always took that to heart and didn't let it hurt my heart so much when they cried. After just a time or two, Jonah is now quiet and still when we do his treatments. I think he likes it now because he gets complete one on one time with us. Morgan will still fight it for a few minutes, then give up and sit there. As for the one not getting the treatment, they are usually in the room with us but playing with something. Even if they come over, we usually have the nebulizer behind our table/chair so really they can't get to anything. They can touch their brother or me but that usually helps matters more than hurts them. You could also try letting DD see the nebulizer and mask when it's not on DS. It's probably because it's new that it's causing her so much interest, kwim?

Hope that helps! shannon

 

We started with nebulizer treatments for Natalie when she was about 18 months, so a little older than yours. She was not a big fan at first, and didn't want to use the mask, either, so the doc said we could do without the mask and just hold it under her nose. That's what we did for a lot of last winter. Last year they just weren't into TV at all, so that was a no-go in terms of keeping them occupied during the treatment. We always just sat in the recliner and read books while we did the neb, and Rita would sit with us or play with Daddy in the other part of the room. We also let Rita turn it on/off and help us carry it back and forth so she felt included and important. After the first couple of weeks I think Natalie actually liked doing the nebulizer because it made her feel special that she had her medicine and Rita didn't.

This year it's much easier because she'll use the mask, so we can just plop her down, put the mask on, and she'll sit and read or watch TV or whatever. I don't have to be there with her to hold it, so that definitely streamlines things.

Good luck! I know it is hard, but do remember that breathing is nothing to mess with, like a PP said! I have spent time in the ER with Natalie and even had to spend 3 days in the hospital with her this year, and believe me, I would rather give a nebulizer treatment to a crying baby every night than to spend just one night in the ER with a toddler.

 

we use the infant car seat (jake still fits). For Becca (who doesn't get a treatment) we put her in her crib or her car seat. We always do his breathing treatment (just one per day) before bed and he takes his bottle while we do it.

We tried holding him in the beginning and he freaked out, so from like day 2, we have put in a chair (was his papsan) now his carseat - that works for us.

Keeping Becca out of the way is a new problem, she really wants the treatment and feels left out!

 

FWIW, mine hate the face mask and it totally freaks them out. Katie is usually my neb girl, and now she actually just takes the wand and sticks it in her mouth half the time. Weirdo! The rest of the time she says "all done" and tries to run away while I hold it under her face.

I guess I am not that much help on what to do with the other baby, because Lilly usually just seems to be grateful to not be pinned down (she hates the neb with a fierce passion) so she plays very happily on her own or watches TV with Kate. TV is the only way to keep the nebulizer baby occupied - it's always either Little Einsteins or Little People DVDs.

 

we weren't given a mask. It is hit or miss on if they will let us do it., Jack is dying to have it, usually when only his brother needs it. I let him have a puff and that's it, or turn it off. He usually is trying to unplug it the whole time I give Max his treatment. Max has been crying, pushing it away, and saying no lately (he is pretty sick and we are constantly giving him something!). But I always do it in front of the tv.