Why Everybody Needs To Use A Spacer With Their Puffer

Did you know that using a spacer with a puffer (metered dose inhaler) increases the medication's effectiveness by up to 70 per cent?

Did you know that using a spacer with a puffer (metered dose inhaler) increases the medication’s effectiveness by up to 70 per cent?
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ, 2021. What is a spacer? [pdf] Available at: https://www.asthmafoundation.org.nz/assets/documents/What-is-a-spacer-fact-sheet.pdf [Accessed 5 August 2024].

How do they make such a difference?

Spacers help the medication get straight to where it’s needed: your lungs. Less medication ends up in your mouth and throat, where it can lead to irritation or mild infections. A spacer can also make coordinating breathing in and pressing your puffer easier.

Spacers should be used by:

ALL children – kids aged under 4–5 years will need a mask attached.
ALL adults taking a corticosteroid preventer medication (e.g. Flixotide, Symbicort) using an MDI/puffer.
Adults who have trouble coordinating the ‘press and breathe’ technique when using an MDI/puffer.
ANYONE taking a reliever medication (e.g. Ventolin) during an asthma attack.

How to use your spacer

Shake the inhaler.
Fit the inhaler into spacer opening (opposite the mouthpiece) and put the spacer into your mouth ensuring that there are no gaps around the mouthpiece OR place the mask on your child’s face, covering the mouth and nose ensuring there are no gaps. Most children should be able to use the spacer without a mask by the age of four years.
Press the inhaler once only — one puff at a time into the spacer.
Breathe in slowly and deeply through the spacer mouthpiece and hold your breath for 5-10 seconds OR take 2-6 normal breaths, keeping the spacer in your mouth all of the time. You can breathe in and out with the spacer still in your mouth as most spacers have small vents to allow your breath to escape rather than going into the spacer.
If you need more than one dose of medication, wait one minute and then repeat these steps for further doses, making sure that you shake your inhaler between doses.
If using a mask with preventer medication, wash the child’s face after use.

How to care for your spacer (this is more important than you think):

FACT: Static electricity builds up inside a spacer. This makes the medication stick to the inside of the spacer, so not as much medicine goes down into the lungs. To get rid of the static, spacers should be washed when they are ﬁrst bought, and then every month. They should also be washed as soon as they become cloudy.

Take the pieces of the spacer apart.
Soak in warm soapy water for a few minutes. Use normal dish washing liquid.
Leave to drip dry.
DO NOT RUB dry as this causes static.
DO NOT RINSE the soap off. The soap will create a thin layer inside the spacer which HELPS prevent static.
Check for any cracks. If used regularly your spacer may need to replaced every 12-24 months.

And don’t forget to book in a baby + child CPR & First Aid Class so that you know how to spot red flags in your child and how to respond in an emergency.