[Evaluation of Inhalation Chamber Usage Practices in Asthmatic Children]

Introduction-Aim : Asthma, the leading chronic illness among children, requires precise management to prevent exacerbations. This study examines the inhalation chamber usage practices among 402 asthmatic children at the Children's Hospital of Rabat, identifying common errors and risk factors.

A prospective study was conducted with 402 children aged 2 to 16, all with a confirmed asthma diagnosis, using an inhalation chamber and having attended at least one therapeutic education session. Data were entered into Microsoft Office Excel 2019 and analyzed using JAMOVI Project. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Among the 402 children included, approximately 50% did not correctly master the inhalation technique. The most common errors were shallow breathing (38%), an insufficient number of respiratory cycles (19%), and failure to shake the inhaler before use (12%). Better technique mastery was significantly associated with age (better in adolescents), parental education level, the number of therapeutic education sessions received, and the time since the last medical consultation. Finally, asthma control was significantly better in children who demonstrated good inhalation technique mastery.

Proper inhalation chamber technique is essential for effective asthma control. The frequent errors observed highlight the need to strengthen therapeutic education, particularly for younger children and families with limited educational backgrounds. Targeted interventions could enhance device usage and improve clinical.