Inhalation therapy in children: new opportunities

Abstract

Inhalation therapy is widely used for treatment of acute respiratory infections and asthma in children, and provides more rapid drug delivery in the airways. Treatment success in children with respiratory diseases is defined not only by an adequate choice of the drug and the dosage regimen, but also by inhalation drug delivery system. The choice of drug delivery device in children depends on the child's age and ability to carry out instructions related to the inhalation technique. Incorrect inhalation technique is associated with inappropriate distribution of the drug in the respiratory tract and an unreasonable increase in the volume of therapy, risk of adverse effects, and the total cost of the treatment. Currently, a great number of various drug delivery systems are commercially available, such as a pressurised metered dose inhaler (MDI), a MDI with spacer and facemask, a dry powder inhaler, and a nebulizer. The most optimal inhalation drug delivery device for children is a nebulizer. In this article, the authors discussed benefits and limitations of various drug delivery systems and modern nebulizers used for treatment of the upper and the lower airways including DuoBaby nebulizer 2-in-1 with a nasal aspirator.