If you’ve ever tried to keep a nebulizer mask on a squirming, crying toddler, you know treatment time can feel like a wrestling match, and you’re not alone!
Nebulizers and inhalers both deliver medicine to your child’s lungs. They just do it in different ways. Your child’s doctor decides which one is right, and some kids use both at different times. Here’s how they compare, so you can walk into your next appointment ready with good questions.
How each one works
A nebulizer is a machine that turns liquid medicine into a fine mist. Your child breathes it in through a mask or mouthpiece over several minutes, breathing normally.
An inhaler (also called a metered-dose inhaler) is a small handheld device that releases a measured dose of medicine. For kids, it’s usually used with a spacer, a tube that holds the puff so your child can breathe it in. Young children use a spacer with a mask, and older kids use one with a mouthpiece.
Side by side
| Nebulizer | Inhaler with spacer | |
|---|---|---|
| How medicine is given | Liquid medicine turned into a mist | A measured dose of medicine |
| How your child breathes | Normal breathing for several minutes | A few slow breaths for each puff |
| What touches their face | A mask or a mouthpiece | A mask (younger kids) or a mouthpiece (older kids) |
| Portability | Needs a machine and tubing | Small enough for a backpack |
| Technique | Little technique needed | Works best with good technique |
Does one work better?
For many children with asthma, studies comparing the two have found that an inhaler with a spacer, used correctly, works as well as a nebulizer. Your child’s doctor may still choose a nebulizer, for example during a bad flare-up, when a child is too short of breath to use an inhaler well, or when a medicine only comes as a liquid. Very young children who can’t use an inhaler yet may also use a nebulizer.
Questions to ask your child’s doctor
- Which device fits my child’s age and medicine?
- Should we use different devices for everyday treatment and for flare-ups?
- Can you check my child’s technique with the spacer or the nebulizer?
- If we use a nebulizer, is there an option instead of a mask?
If your child uses a nebulizer: no mask needed
That last question is exactly why the Loli-O’s Neb Pop exists. Designed by emergency clinicians with kids of their own, the Loli-O’s Neb Pop replaces the mask with a real, sugar-free lollipop from Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets. Your child holds it and breathes in their prescribed medication through their nose and mouth, with nothing on their face.
It works with the nebulizer chamber and tubing you already use, so nothing else about your setup has to change. Getting started takes three steps:
- Prep. Insert the prescribed medication into the nebulizer chamber.
- Twist. Attach the Loli-O’s Neb Pop base, then connect the tubing.
- Treat. Remove the Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets lollipop wrapper and begin treatment.
The Loli-O’s Neb Pop is designed for kids ages 3 and up who can safely enjoy a lollipop, with adult supervision for the whole treatment. If your child is younger than 3, has trouble chewing or swallowing, or you’re not sure it’s right for them, check with your child’s doctor first.
Ask your child’s doctor if the Loli-O’s Neb Pop is right for your family, and learn more at loli-os.com. We put the “treat” in treatment.
This article is for general information and isn’t medical advice. Always use prescribed medication and follow your child’s doctor’s instructions and the complete instructions included with the product.