Is choice of drug delivery as important as choice of drug in childhood asthma?

ABSTRACT

Inhalation of aerosols from a metered dose inhaler is a rational, convenient and well-liked method of administration of anti-asthmatic medication in adults but, in children, this method may be neither practical nor desirable. A number of devices such as spacers and dry powder inhalers have been developed and are particularly useful where children are too young to coordinate inspiration with actuation of the aerosol canister. In infants, administration of drug suspensions or solutions from a jet nebuliser via a face mask, or syrups by mouth, may be the only means of delivering anti-asthmatic medication.