Aerosol Chamber (Spacer) Guide: Getting the Most From Every Inhaler Puff — for Kids and Adults

Metered-dose inhalers ("puffers") release medicine very fast, and timing the puff with a breath is hard — especially for children. An Aerosol Chamber, also called a spacer, solves that problem. It holds the medicine cloud for a few seconds so it can be breathed in calmly, helping more of the dose reach the lungs.

Why use a spacer?

• More medicine reaches the airways and less lands in the mouth and throat.
• No need to coordinate pressing the inhaler and breathing in at the same moment.
• Fewer local side effects such as hoarseness or oral thrush with inhaled steroids.
• Ideal during an asthma flare, when breathing is fast and shallow.

Choosing the right size

• Aerosol Chamber Small — with a soft mask for babies and toddlers.
• Aerosol Chamber Medium — with a mask for young children.
• Aerosol Chamber Adult — for older children and adults.

Children generally move from a mask to a mouthpiece once they can seal their lips around it and breathe steadily — your doctor or pharmacist can advise.

How to use it — step by step

1. Remove the inhaler cap and shake the inhaler well.
2. Fit the inhaler into the back of the chamber.
3. Place the mask gently over the nose and mouth (or the mouthpiece between the lips).
4. Press the inhaler once.
5. With a mask: let the child take about 5–6 normal breaths. With a mouthpiece: breathe in slowly and deeply, then hold for up to 10 seconds.
6. If a second puff is prescribed, wait about 30–60 seconds, shake again and repeat.
7. Rinse the mouth with water after steroid inhalers.

Cleaning and care

• Wash about once a month (or as the leaflet says) in warm water with a little mild washing-up liquid.
• Don't rinse or rub dry — let it air-dry. This keeps a thin coating that reduces static, so less medicine sticks to the walls.
• Replace the chamber if it cracks, and in line with the manufacturer's advice.

Seek urgent help if…

…breathing is very fast or difficult, lips look blue or grey, the child is too breathless to talk or feed, or the reliever inhaler isn't helping. Always follow the asthma action plan from your doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Does a spacer work with any inhaler?

It is designed for pressurised metered-dose inhalers. Dry-powder inhalers are not used with a spacer.

Why put one puff at a time?

Several puffs together make the droplets stick to each other and to the chamber walls, so less medicine is inhaled.

Where can I buy an Aerosol Chamber?

All sizes are available on purelife.ae with delivery across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the GCC and Egypt, and at leading pharmacies in the UAE and KSA.

This article is for general information only and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist.