Clinical Tip: A simple way to keep inhaled steroids out of "the wrong pipe"

To avoid excessive oral absorption of inhaled steroids in asthmatic patients using a metered-dose inhaler, I recommend that the treatment be given in the bathroom before the child brushes her (his) teeth. This improves compliance and helps ensure that the child remembers to wash out her mouth after using the inhaler.

Robert Giusti, MDBrooklyn, N.Y.