Ever held a mask over a wriggling toddler and wondered if you had the right one of the nebulizer mask sizes? Half the mist went into the room and you both ended up damp. This guide explains the three fits, how to choose and what masks cost in Kenya.

Updated October 2026. Market prices were read on the linked pages in October 2026 and can change without notice.

Sternmed Afrika supplies nebulizer masks in adult, paediatric and infant sizes. Stock lands in Nairobi on 27 November 2026 and the masks are quote only until then. Below you will find the nebulizer mask sizes compared, a fit test you can do at home or on the ward and how to order.

Why nebulizer mask sizes matter

A nebulizer turns liquid medicine into a fine mist. The mask holds that mist over the nose and mouth so it is breathed into the lungs. If the mask is too big, mist leaks out of the sides and the dose that reaches the lungs falls.

If the mask is too small, it presses on the face, the child fights it and the treatment stops early. The right size seals gently from the bridge of the nose to the chin. That is the whole reason nebulizer mask sizes exist.

The medicine is the expensive part of a nebulizer treatment, so nebulizer mask sizes protect your medicine budget too. A mask that fits makes every drop count. A mask that does not fit wastes medicine and time.

Adult, paediatric and infant nebulizer mask sizes compared

Three sizes cover almost every patient. Spelling varies, so you will see nebuliser and nebulizer on different boxes, with child, paediatric or kids used for the middle size. The table shows how they differ.

Ages are a guide only. A big nine year old may need an adult mask and a small fourteen year old may be happier in a paediatric one. Fit beats age every time when choosing between nebulizer mask sizes.

Which nebulizer mask size fits my child?

The simplest way to choose between nebulizer mask sizes is a dry fit, which means trying the mask on without the machine running. Place the top on the bridge of the nose and let the cup settle. The bottom edge should rest just under the chin with no big gap at the cheeks.

If the mask covers the eyes or the bottom edge sits on the neck, it is too big. If the chin pokes out below the mask or the cup squashes the nose, it is too small. A gentle, even seal all the way round is right.

For a baby, the infant mask should cover nose and mouth with the top edge below the eyes. Hold it gently, do not strap it tightly and let the baby breathe normally. Of the three nebulizer mask sizes, the infant mask is the one most often bought too large.

Signs you have the wrong one of the nebulizer mask sizes

Mist pouring out at the cheeks or under the chin is the first sign of a mask that is too large. The treatment takes the usual time but the patient gets less of the medicine. You may also see the mask slide down the face.

Red marks on the bridge of the nose or the chin point to a mask that is too small. A child who screams at the sight of the mask may simply find it tight. Try the next size up before you give up on the mask altogether.

A treatment that always seems to run out of medicine early, or a child whose wheeze does not settle as expected, deserves a fit check. Changing between nebulizer mask sizes is cheap. Repeating a treatment is not.

How a nebulizer mask is put together

The mask is a soft cup with an elastic strap. Two holes in the cup let exhaled air out. A short connector at the bottom joins the mask to the medicine chamber.

The chamber holds the liquid medicine and sits on a length of tubing. The tubing runs to the compressor, the machine that pushes air through the medicine to make the mist. Masks, chambers and tubing are often sold together as a nebulizer kit.

Nebulizer mask sizes refer to the cup. The chamber and tubing are the same whatever size the mask. When you buy a kit, check which mask size is in the box.

How much is a nebulizer mask in Kenya?

On market listings seen in October 2026, a single plain nebulizer mask costs KSh 90 to KSh 120 in adult, paediatric or infant size. One listing shows KSh 390 for a mask. Marketplace listings show three adult masks for KSh 950 and branded kits from KSh 1,500.

For budgeting, use KSh 90 to KSh 120 per mask from a supplier. The infant size costs a few shillings more on some listings. Across all three nebulizer mask sizes the price is close, so choose on fit and never on a KSh 10 difference.

Sternmed prices are set and published on 27 November 2026 when stock lands. Until then we quote per order. See the Sternmed nebulizer mask page for the three sizes.

Why marketplace searches confuse mask buyers

Search for a nebulizer mask on a marketplace and most of the results are full machines. A parent who wants a KSh 100 replacement mask is shown KSh 5,000 compressors. The mask buyer is poorly served.

Supplier pages are better but rarely explain nebulizer mask sizes. They list adult, child and infant and leave you to guess. This page fills that gap and our product page lists the three sizes with the same plain words.

If you need the machine as well as the mask, our partner medicalequipment.co.ke sells nebulizer compressors. Sternmed supplies the masks that go with them.

How often should a mask be replaced?

At home, a mask used by one person is washed after each treatment and replaced when it discolours, stiffens or no longer seals. Many families replace a mask every few weeks of daily use. Follow the instructions that came with the machine.

In a clinic or hospital, a mask is for one patient only. It is never shared between patients, whatever the nebulizer mask sizes in stock. A ward that nebulises ten patients a day needs ten masks a day or a mask per patient per admission under its policy.

The NHS explains how nebulisers fit into asthma care on its asthma treatment page. Masks are a small part of good treatment, but a part that must fit.

Nebulizer mask sizes for a clinic stock room

A general clinic sees more children than adults for nebulisation, because wheeze in children is so common. A sensible starting stock is half paediatric, a third adult and the rest infant. Watch which size runs out first and adjust.

A children’s hospital flips that split towards paediatric and infant. A chest clinic for adults needs mostly adult masks. Count the treatments you give in a month and order a mask for each, plus 10 percent.

At KSh 90 to KSh 120 a mask, a clinic giving 100 nebulisations a month spends about KSh 10,000 to KSh 13,000 on masks. Buying by the carton brings the figure down. Sternmed quotes by quantity across all three nebulizer mask sizes.

Nebulizer mask sizes at home: a parent’s checklist

Keep one spare mask in the correct size at home at all times. Children grow, so check the fit every few months and move up a size when the chin starts to show below the mask. Write the size on the storage box so a grandparent or nanny picks the right one.

Use the mask in a calm, seated position with the child upright. Distraction helps, so a story or a screen for the ten minutes of a treatment is fair. Praise at the end makes the next treatment easier.

Nebulizer mask sizes for home use are the same as for clinics. There is no special home version. Buy from a supplier who states the size clearly and sells a single mask without a fuss.

Mask or mouthpiece?

Not every patient needs one of the nebulizer mask sizes at all, because older children and adults can often use a mouthpiece instead. The mouthpiece delivers more of the mist to the lungs because none escapes around the cheeks. It needs the patient to hold it in the mouth and breathe steadily for the whole treatment.

Young children, babies, breathless adults and anyone who is drowsy need a mask. The mask works without effort from the patient. That is why nebulizer mask sizes matter most for the youngest and the sickest.

Sternmed stocks masks. If your clinic also wants mouthpieces, say so when you request a quote and we will tell you plainly what we can supply.

What to check before you accept a delivery

• Each mask sealed in its own clean pouch.
• Size printed on the pouch and matching the cup.
• Soft, flexible cup with no cracks or sharp edges.
• Elastic strap attached firmly at both sides.
• Connector that fits a standard medicine chamber.

Open one mask from each carton and fit it to a chamber. It should click on and stay on. A mask that falls off the chamber mid treatment is useless at any price.

Cleaning a mask at home

After each treatment, wash the mask in warm water with a little washing up liquid. Rinse well and leave it to air dry on a clean towel. Do not boil it or put it in the sun for long, because the plastic stiffens.

Store the dry mask in a clean, closed container between treatments. Check the strap and the cup each time. Replace the mask when it no longer seals or looks worn, whichever of the nebulizer mask sizes you use.

Never share a mask between family members. A mask costs about KSh 100. A chest infection passed from one child to another costs a great deal more.

Storage and shelf life

Masks are light and bulky and crush easily. Store cartons on a shelf rather than the floor and keep heavy boxes off them. A crushed cup may not spring back to shape and will not seal.

Keep them cool, dry and out of direct sun, because sunlight stiffens the plastic. Label each carton with its size and use the oldest carton first. Masks have a long shelf life when stored well, so a carton is a safe buy.

Keep the three nebulizer mask sizes on separate shelves with clear labels. A nurse should find a paediatric mask in seconds during a busy evening clinic.

Retail or wholesale: which price is yours?

A parent buying a replacement mask pays retail and buys one or two at a time. A chemist that sells a few a month buys the same way. Both are welcome at Sternmed.

A clinic, hospital or pharmacy chain buys by the carton and earns the wholesale figure. Sternmed quotes by quantity. Send the number per size and the price falls as the number rises.

Pharmacies that resell masks can look at the market table above. Buy at the carton end, sell at the single end and the margin is clear and honest.

Where can clinics buy masks in bulk?

Sternmed Afrika in Nairobi supplies all three nebulizer mask sizes, with no minimum order for a first purchase, to clinics, hospitals and pharmacies across Kenya. We sell retail and wholesale. Stock lands on 27 November 2026 and can be reserved today.

1. WhatsApp +254 799 526972 with sizes and quantities.
2. Or email info@sternmedafrika.com.
3. Or use the request a quote page.
4. Confirm the quote and your masks are reserved.
5. Pay by M Pesa or cash on delivery when the order arrives.

Browse the respiratory therapy range and add cannulas, giving sets or feeding tubes to the same order. One delivery means one delivery charge.

We deliver across Kenya from Nairobi and export across Africa on request. The quote you receive includes delivery to your town, so the figure you see is the figure you pay.

Who buys nebulizer masks from Sternmed?

Clinics and hospitals that nebulise children every evening. Pharmacies near schools and estates where parents come for a replacement mask. Families with a child on regular treatment who want a steady supply at a fair price.

Each buyer sends sizes and quantities and gets a written quote. For other ward items in one list, see our medical consumables price list, which covers masks beside cannulas, giving sets and catheters.

Questions buyers ask about nebulizer mask sizes

What are the three nebulizer mask sizes?

Adult, paediatric and infant. Some suppliers add a neonate size for newborn units.

Which mask size fits a 5 year old?

Usually paediatric. Check the fit from the bridge of the nose to under the chin, because fit matters more than age.

Which mask size fits a baby?

Infant. The cup should cover nose and mouth with the top edge below the eyes.

How much is a nebulizer mask in Kenya?

KSh 90 to KSh 120 for a single plain mask from a supplier, based on market listings seen in October 2026.

Can two children share one mask?

No. A mask is for one person. Wash it after each use and replace it when it wears.

Does Sternmed sell the nebulizer machine?

No. Sternmed supplies the masks. Our partner medicalequipment.co.ke sells compressors.

When will Sternmed masks be in stock?

Stock lands in Nairobi on 27 November 2026. All sizes are quote only until then and can be reserved now.

How do I pay?

Pay by M Pesa or cash on delivery. We deliver across Kenya and export across Africa on request.

Order today

Need all three nebulizer mask sizes for your clinic, or one mask for your child? Send sizes, quantities and your town on WhatsApp at +254 799 526972 or email info@sternmedafrika.com. You will get a written quote and a reserved slot for the 27 November 2026 shipment.

This guide is by Sternmed Afrika, a medical consumables supplier in Nairobi. We sell retail and wholesale, deliver across Kenya and export across Africa on request.