The National Asthma Council Australia has produced a simple on-line video to demonstrate correct inhaler usage for children using a puffer and spacer.

The video, which can be viewed at www.nationalasthma.org.au/content/view/686/1091/, shows National Asthma Council Australia asthma educator, Judi Wicking, overseeing a young girl as she uses her medication, with clear sub-titles on screen providing step-by-step instructions.

Up to 90 per cent of patients are not using their inhalers correctly. 

This misuse results in poor medication delivery, which in turn can lead to reduced quality of life, more frequent and longer hospital stays and an increased dependence on their medication.  With children common problems include not shaking a puffer between each dose and putting multiple doses into a spacer, rather than inhaling each individual dose one at a time.

"It can be hard for parents or carers who do not use an inhaler themselves to ensure their child is getting maximum benefit from their medication by using their inhaler correctly," Judi Wicking said.

"This short video has been developed to give parents and carers confidence to help their child, especially when they are most in need of medication to aid their breathing."

The new on-line video is an extension of a series of videos designed to improve inhaler use amongst adults.  The original series, which is also available on the National Asthma Council Australia website, demonstrates correct usage of all six main types of asthma and COPD inhalers currently available in Australia. 

"Anyone who uses an inhaler would benefit from reviewing how they use it to ensure they are really getting maximum impact from their medication," Judi Wicking advised.

"The fact is most people who use an inhaler aren't doing it properly.  They may never have been shown the correct technique in the first place or they may not have regular usage reviews with their GP, pharmacist or asthma educator which means poor technique becomes a bad habit.

"For these people being able to watch another person demonstrating the right way to use the same inhaler that they have been prescribed will be invaluable and the videos can be viewed on demand as often as required."

The National Asthma Council Australia's inhaler ‘how to' videos are available at: www.nationalasthma.org.au/content/view/548/984/ 

For further information please contact: