If you're having trouble getting your young child to take asthma medicine, you're not alone.
A lot of kids find the breathing mask scary at first.
But it's important to find ways to calm your child down, because when they cry, they're not breathing deeply enough to get all the medicine they need.
So here are some ideas that may help.
First of all, remember that if you're worried and tense, your child will probably pick up on it, and that will just make things harder.
So take a deep breath, calm yourself down, and focus on ways to distract your child.
For example, the breathing machines can be noisy ...
and they don't look too friendly.
So you might want to play some music to cover up the noise.
And try adding colorful decals to the mask.
You can even buy masks that come in shapes like cute animal faces.
Turn the treatments into a game.
Have your child put the mask on a favorite stuffed animal.
Or put it on your own face first so your child can see there's nothing to be afraid of.
Look for ways to make the treatment time special.
For example, your child can learn that wearing the mask means you'll do something fun together, like reading a favorite book or watching a cartoon or movie.
Now that you have a few ideas, pick one and try it for your child's next treatment.
It won't be long before your child learns that the mask is nothing to be afraid of.
