Asthma/Nebulizer treatment on board

[WineDown17]

My son has seasonal asthma. We will be bringing his nebulizer and meds with us-just in case- but want to be sure they will work on board.

 

Does anyone have any experience with this? I know we arent the only ones to ever bring a child with this health challenge on a cruise.

 

Thanks!

 

PS: We will be on X , if that matters.

[rebeccalouise]

I always bring my son's nebulizer and fortuneately we have only had to use it once. Don't worry they work fine on the cruise ships. You have recepticles in the cabin to plug into just like at home.

[reallyitsmema]

We bring a neb too for our son, wouldn't leave home without it. We also bring every other med that he might need if he happens to be triggered.

[WineDown17]

Thanks Rebecca!

 

That is good to know.. any idea what to do if we are on an excursion? (I will also be asking is specialist)

 

I have never seen a batter operated nebulizer.. maybe I should invent it! :)

 

He should be fine in May... but as a mom. I worry.

[cb at sea]

You are not the only cruiser that needs this treatment...bring your stuff. Even c-paps are brought onboard and used at nighttime...folks do it everyday.

 

I'm sure he'll have an "emergency" inhaler for excursions, should it be needed.

Good luck!

[rebeccalouise]

I have an inhaler but both my son and I have a hard time figuring out how to use the dang thing! I bring it in my purse in case of an emergency though. I figure if its that bad- we will figure it out!

One of the perks of cruise travel is that there is an onboard doctor at the ready. This should give you peice of mind.

[6rugrats]

I have an inhaler but both my son and I have a hard time figuring out how to use the dang thing! I bring it in my purse in case of an emergency though. I figure if its that bad- we will figure it out!

One of the perks of cruise travel is that there is an onboard doctor at the ready. This should give you peice of mind.

 

Get your doctor to show you. Also, if you are having difficulty with the inhaler, what worked for my DD is to get a prescription for an AeroChamber Plus with a mask. More to carry, but it's much easier to use than just an inhaler, and you know they are actually getting the medicine.

[kitty9]

You might want to look into the Omron NE-U22V Micro Air Electronic nebulizer. It operates with 2 AA batteries or it can be plugged in. All you need do is snap open the medicine vial, pour it into the chamber, push the on button, and start breathing in the medication. I have bad asthma and bring this kind of nebulizer with me on cruises. They also have pediatric sizes.

[rebeccalouise]

thanks for the advice. I will check into these other options. This board is such a great resource!:)

[WineDown17]

That is great to know! My biggest concern is when we are at Pompeii or somewhere similar and he has a problem... I feel good about the ship now that I know the neb will work on board...But was concerned for when there are no no plugs. He is only 2 so the mask is important....

 

I will look up that nebulizer.. although there goes my "million dollar idea" that would have enabled a lilfetime of multiple cruises each year...

 

:)

[Cruisin' Chick]

My girl just has the inhaler that works with Albuetrol (I know I'm spelling it wrong, but you all know what I'm talking about). Besides the one she keeps at school, I have one that I keep in a pouch in my purse at all times (except when she was at day camp, then she kept it in her bag). When she first got it, she figured out how to use it and showed me.

 

We've only gone on one cruise since she got diagnosed and I brought it along with the original packaging that has the prescription on it. (the funny thing is that when I got a refill from the pharmacy, they put on one prescription label on both the boxes -- had to explain that each box needed a separate label as one was going to her school, seems strange that I had to explain that :rolleyes:). Kept it with me at all times, but did note her asthma on the kids' group form. Fortunately, she rarely needs it, just when she has bad hay fever. Then she also needs to get a nebulizer treatment at urgent care.

 

I just got a letter from our insurance company that the inhaler is being changed to make it more environmentally safe. So calling her doctor is on my list of things to do next week.

[Lady_Gamecock]

We're bringing Baby_G's inhaler and neb on our Med Cruise this Fall. We'd rather have to pack it in a suitcase than not have it. We always bring a surge protector for additional power outlets + a power converter for the hotels we're staying in Italy.

 

Hope your kiddo does well and doesn't need it - but better safe than sorry!! :D

 

Lady_G

[WineDown17]

Amen to that. He just strated needign it this winter. The allergist/asthma specialist thinks he will be fine come spring.. but who know. At this age so much of it feels like a guessing game. But now that he is stabilized on his Pulmicort 2x a day, I feel much more confident about cruising with him.

 

Cruisin' Chick- I have a friend at work that is on the new "environmentally safe" inhaler- and they said the price on it is SUBSTANTIALLY more that the generic albuterol everyone was used to.. So be forewarned for sticker shock!

[Copper_beeches]

Amen to that. He just strated needign it this winter. The allergist/asthma specialist thinks he will be fine come spring.. but who know. At this age so much of it feels like a guessing game. But now that he is stabilized on his Pulmicort 2x a day, I feel much more confident about cruising with him.

 

Cruisin' Chick- I have a friend at work that is on the new "environmentally safe" inhaler- and they said the price on it is SUBSTANTIALLY more that the generic albuterol everyone was used to.. So be forewarned for sticker shock!

 

 

There are several different kinds, our insurance switched to the non-cfc albuterol propellant last year, and at first what was prescribed was a tier 3 RX, but we spoke to the dr and we got Xopenex instead which is a tier 2 and the middle of the rx copays (better than tier three anyway, but the old ones were tier one.).

[MamaParrotHead]

Just so everyone knows...I contacted the Special Needs department a while ago about my son with asthma. They ask if you plan on bringing meds aboard (I don't know why) and offer to super-clean the cabin and run an air purifier for us (on Carnival, anyway). Another thing those with older kids who may be in Camp Carnival, if you don't all ready have one, a waterproof medic-alert bracelet is a good idea. My son wears his every day to school, but we have another family travelling with us with an asthmatic child and she ordered one specifically for cruise use. And speaking of Camp Carnival, that's another reason why it's a good idea for those with kids who will be participating in CC, to let Special Needs dept. know about your child's condition, if the child is in camp and has an attack, the staff will know how to treat it.

[WineDown17]

Just so everyone knows...I contacted the Special Needs department a while ago about my son with asthma. They ask if you plan on bringing meds aboard (I don't know why) and offer to super-clean the cabin and run an air purifier for us (on Carnival, anyway). Another thing those with older kids who may be in Camp Carnival, if you don't all ready have one, a waterproof medic-alert bracelet is a good idea. My son wears his every day to school, but we have another family travelling with us with an asthmatic child and she ordered one specifically for cruise use. And speaking of Camp Carnival, that's another reason why it's a good idea for those with kids who will be participating in CC, to let Special Needs dept. know about your child's condition, if the child is in camp and has an attack, the staff will know how to treat it.

 

 

Great post and info. Thanks.

 

DS will be too young for kids club on X- but I will call and ask the same questions of them.

 

We will be bringing aboard his Xopenex and his Pulmicort, along with his nebulizer..

[NEcruisers????]

Thanks Rebecca!

 

That is good to know.. any idea what to do if we are on an excursion? (I will also be asking is specialist)

 

I have never seen a batter operated nebulizer.. maybe I should invent it! :)

 

He should be fine in May... but as a mom. I worry.

 

They do have battery opperated nebulizers, they are made by Pari Trek. We have one and love its portability!:)

[WineDown17]

There goes my million dollar idea.

 

:)

[NEcruisers????]

There goes my million dollar idea.

 

:)

 

:(Sorry!!!

The Pari Trek nebulizer as a rechargable battery. A big plus when traveling!

[WineDown17]

Going to the asthma specialist on the 112th- bringing this thread with me- will definitley be inquiring about the pari trek.

 

I may need to invest in one.. we also spend a lot of time on our own boat so to have something that does not need to be plugged in in an emergency is a great idea.