The wait times in our emergency departments are longer than usual due to illnesses like RSV and the flu. View our estimated ED wait times and learn more about where to get care for your sick child.

Patient & Family Education Materials

Start over with a New Search

What's a Bronchodilator?

Article Translations: (Spanish)

Bronchodilator

Say: brong-ko-DY-lay-ter

A person with asthma may need to take a medicine called a bronchodilator. This type of medicine dilates (a fancy word for opens) the airways, or bronchial tubes. This usually means using an inhaler, which is a plastic tube that holds a container of medicine. You may have seen a friend or someone in school using an inhaler, which is held up to the mouth and breathed into the lungs.

Back To Top

Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

© 1995-2025 KidsHealth ® All rights reserved. Images provided by iStock, Getty Images, Corbis, Veer, Science Photo Library, Science Source Images, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com