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Dry powder inhalers Low initial cost. No coordination between breathing and activation of the device is needed. Easy for the child to use, even unsupervised. Convenient to carry in the pocket, and can be easily taken to school. Limited range of drugs available. Metered dose inhalers Expensive at first. Need coordination between breathing and device activation.  Quite difficult. Children need supervision in use. Usually need a spacer device, which is bulky and difficult to carry around. All inhaled asthma drugs are available as MDIs.

Dry Powder Inhalers

These small plastic devices allow children to inhale their asthma medication in the form of a fine powder.  They are inexpensive, small and convenient, need no electricity, and children above the age of five years can derive the benefits of   inhaled therapy   for asthma.

The common dry powder inhaler is a small, transparent, cylindrical device.  The drug to be inhaled is supplied as special capsules which can be inserted into a hole on the device.  Twisting the device breaks the capsule and releases the powder into the device.  The child then breathes in through the mouthpiece, inhaling the drug into the lungs.

Other dry powder inhalers are also available.  Some of them are preloaded with the drug powder, and are somewhat easier to use.  They usually have a counter to show the number of doses used up.

It needs a good flow of air through the device to lift the drug powder and carry it into the lungs.  Children below the age of five are often unable to do this, and even older children may have difficulty when suffering the breathlessness of an acute attack.

Cost considerations

The commonly used cylindrical devices are quite inexpensive.  The price of the capsules vary with the drug, but they are generally more expensive than using a metered dose inhaler.

Other special devices, preloaded with a fixed number of doses, cost considerably more.

Last revision: July 30, 2010

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