humidifiers vs vaporizers

[ehtansky21]

my 15 month old is yet to have any lung symptoms. but i want to protect him to the most highest degree. i have already received valuable info in this forum that the ionic breeze is not good for his lungs. now i would like to know if humidifiers or vaporizers are helpful, harmful, is one better than the other? should i have them on even when he is well? which is best when he gets a cold or the flu???
thanks, ethan sky's mom

 

[HollyCatheryn]

We used humidifiers all growing up and now I'm using one again. I think it really helps to keep things moist, especially if you are using a heater or air conditioner the air in the house can get really dry. Be careful to clean it our regularly and that you don't let the room get moist. You just want to balance the moisture in the air you don't want a mist-tent effect. You can also put a couple of drops of eucalyptus in the water when he's congested or a couple of drops of Tea Tree Oil or Grapefruit Seed Extract. TTO and GSE are antibacterial/antimicrobial, so they will help keep your machine clear and help kill germs in the air. I've hear things about one machine being better for certain things than the other, but sorry to say I can't remember clearly. I'll have to look at that again.

 

[luke]

When I was in RT school it was taught this is a big no no. Actually they refered to them as bacteria slingers. The olders one were impossible to clean and a serious health issue. I am sure there is some new technology out there but I would follow up your doc to find a new technology.

 

[seasprite]

Hi Ethan Sky's mom,

We live in Southern California, where it can get extremely dry in the winter months. We use a humidifier only when the humidity level goes below 30% for more than a day. Slant/Fin makes several models that heat the water to steaming and also kill bacteria with a UV lamp. In addition, we put only filtered, boiled water into the unit, and we change the water once a day. All this is a pain, but otherwise -- as Luke said -- you risk spewing bacteria into the air your child breathes. If you want more details, let me know.

Bambi, mom of Jordan, 16 w cf

 

[reillybug]

Our CF Dr told us not to use one, because even if it is perfectly clean and sterile, as soon as the mositure droplets land on anything they begin to grow bacteria. She said they don't really help all that much anyway.
Good luck.

 

[anonymous]

Our CF clinic said it was perfectly acceptable to use humidifiers/vaporizers as long as they are cleaned properly. As far as the bugs they spew out - the doctor says it isn't any different than the air we breathe in on a daily basis (as long as it is kept clean). We've used one for approx. 3 years and our daughter has never cultured MRSA or pseudomonas (she is 12). He did tell us that it was very important to have a humidistat placed in her room to assure that the room did not get too moist.

 

[NoDayButToday]

I've been told ideal humidity levels are between 30-50%, so get a humidistat and see what the humidity is in your home. After a week or so of levels (including rainy and nice weather), you may find you don't need a humidifier, or only need one on especially hot days, etc. If you do wind up getting a humidifier, you have to be somewhat obsessive about keeping it clean.

 

[thefrogprincess]

I wouldn't use a humidifier all the time because they can breed bacteria, but I like them at night when I have a cold or sinus infection. WHen you're stuffed up an breathing through your mouth at night your throat gets really dry which makes me cough way more than normal and I can't sleep. But the humididfier helps a lot with that. Just make sure you clean it REALLY well everyday you use it.

Another thing is this: if you live somewhere that is naturally humid (I live in Seattle for example) and is prone to mold you actually want a DEhumidifier to cut down on mold in the house. Once mold gets in you can't get rid of it and it can cause huge problems for healthy people not to mention CFers.