Asthma is a common and potentially serious chronic disease that imposes a substantial burden on patients, their families, and community. Asthma is a common disease amongst children in India with prevalence estimated at 5-10%. A worldwide increase in the prevalence of asthma is being reported with increase in wheeze at an alarming rate of 5% per year.

Globally, about 30–35% of children suffer from allergic disorders, and the prevalence of these illnesses has been rising in recent years. Atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and food allergies are some of the childhood allergic disorders, of which asthma is the most common chronic condition among children and adults.[1]

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder in which several cells and cellular elements are involved. In susceptible individuals this inflammation causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and cough, particularly at night and early morning. These episodes are associated with variable and widespread airway obstruction that is often reversible either spontaneously or with treatment. The inflammation also causes increase in bronchial hyper-’ responsiveness to a variety of stimuli.

Asthma can severely limit the ability to engage in normal daily activities, including sports and outdoor activities, poor sleep, fatigue, and permanent decline in lung function.[2] It accounts for more than 10 million missed school days each year and is the third principal cause of child hospitalization.[3]

The main treatment of an acute exacerbation includes inhaled short-acting β2-agonists (SABA) and inhaled anticholinergic like ipratropium bromide and inhaled corticosteroids in moderate to severe cases. Nebulizers are commonly used in emergency departments to deliver bronchodilators to children with asthma exacerbations.

However, no clinical study comparing a vibrating mesh nebulizer with a jet nebulizer is available in this paediatric population. The vibration mesh technology-based nebulisation may be more effective as drug deposition is 6-8 times more than jet and ultrasonic nebulisation in the patients small airways.