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Children's health

Prescribed steroids for DS's chesty cough - don't want to give them to him. Please give me some advice!

55 replies

mylittlepuds · 26/02/2013 09:53

I normally just glance over side effects on the info leaflet and think 'hey ho' needs must.

But my God the side effects of these steroids - Prednisolone - seem extreme and I'm very nervous about giving them to DS.

It's been well over two weeks though and he still has the wheezy 'loose' chest. No temp of anything though - absolutely his normal self.

Help!

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kilmuir · 26/02/2013 09:54

As you say needs must, poor child

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blueberryboybait · 26/02/2013 09:56

They don't prescribe steroids just because, DD2 (2.5) is on a 3 day course after an mad air ambulance rush with what started as a wheezy chest and doc reluctant to prescribe steroids. A short course of less that 7 days often have few side effects apart from the steroid crazies that make little people hyper.

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cyanarasamba · 26/02/2013 09:57

I assume it's a five day course you've been given? Most of the side effects are not going to have chance to get going in that time. Even if he were to take the drug for longer, he would be unlikely to develop many of them. My daughter has been on prednisolone for over a year (we have no choice) and she's fine.

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Saltire · 26/02/2013 09:59

I have taken prednisolone before (slight difference I know, I'm an adult) and the longest I was on them was 7 days. I had no side effects at all, and my wheeze was gone within 3/4 days.

The other posters are right, they won't be in his system long enough for the side effects to take hold.

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mylittlepuds · 26/02/2013 10:01

Kilmuir - thanks for your very helpful response.

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mylittlepuds · 26/02/2013 10:03

Right shall give them ASAP. By 'I don't want to give them' - to clarify I mean I'm worried about giving them to him. Thanks for your responses.

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BeerTricksPotter · 26/02/2013 10:05

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mylittlepuds · 26/02/2013 10:08

Thank you BTP. I'm really worried now that we haven't given them to him. He seems fine apart from cough but I'm really worried now with what's been said.

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Wolfiefan · 26/02/2013 10:10

I've just finished a short course for a similar reason. No side effects. They have to list absolutely everything that could possibly happen. My son was on these for AGES (kidney condition). A few short lived side effects but nothing awful. I'm afraid it's take the pills and get better (v small chance of side effects) or don't and probably end up in hospital.
I get the anxiety though. We ended up having to give DS a drug for kidney thing that they couldn't guarantee wouldn't put him at more risk of cancer in the future.

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Saltire · 26/02/2013 10:10

Sorry, OP. I am confused, have you given them to him and are worried about side effects, or have you not given them because you are worried about side effects.

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BeerTricksPotter · 26/02/2013 10:12

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mylittlepuds · 26/02/2013 10:13

Not given them and now I'm really worried that I've done the wrong thing and not given them to him last Monday. He is absolutely fine in himself but just really worried about mentions of A&E trips etc as a result of wheezy chests getting worse. I'm really panicking now and feel so guilty about not just doing it.

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mylittlepuds · 26/02/2013 10:16

Oh god pregnancy hormones not helping. What was I thinking? I feel absolutely terrible.

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BeerTricksPotter · 26/02/2013 10:18

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ChablisLover · 26/02/2013 10:19

Prednisolone -this is the only thing that eased my DS asthma attacks that seen him end up in hospital with sats levels of 84%

Granted the side affects are scary but it is short term and they do work!

Though why GP didn't give you an inhaler first - but he/she must think your son is in a serious enough condition

I would give them to him

but I say that as a mum who has spent nights in hospital with her sick child and I couldnt care less about the side effects then

This is the last step of my DS asthma plan after his inhalers don't work and given the short term effectiveness of it I would more than happily give them

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akaemmafrost · 26/02/2013 10:19

I was on these recently and I have health anxiety so REALLY didn't want to take them. Within two days they had cleared up a massive asthma flare up that I had been ill with for months. I would prefer never to have to take them again but will if necessary as so very effective. As someone else said, they don't prescribe them lightly so they must judge it necessary. Saying that I wouldn't want to give them to my child either but I would.

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ChablisLover · 26/02/2013 10:20

P.s. dont mean to panic you but if it was me and I have had a sick child for two weeks I would go on docs advice

but if you are not happy -= go back to GP and ask for an inhaler instead or ask why these have been prescribed.

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MortifiedAdams · 26/02/2013 10:27

can I ask, OP, was it purely the length of time your DS had been coughing that made you go to the Doctors? DD is 14mo and has had a proper hacking cough for a week now, however seems totally fine in herself. This morning I thought I could hear a little wheeze on her chest but it's gone (or is too quiet for me to hear?)

Wondering if I should take her to the doctors.

Hope your LO is feeling better soon, and don't beat yourself up about it. Start the course today and see if he improves over the week.

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Sirzy · 26/02/2013 10:28

DS is 3 and has had more courses of pred than I can remember (at least 15 probably more) its not ideal but its much better than the risks of not having it!

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mylittlepuds · 26/02/2013 10:30

First dose administered. Feel like an absolute idiot. I really, really pray nothing happens as a result of his chest. Mortified - he frequently gets chesty coughs. I have the rigmarole of taking them to the docs and them saying it's 'not gone to his chest' even though it sounds wheezy to me.

Anyhow last Monday took him (he'd had it about a week) and the doc agreed he could hear it on his chest. First time we've been prescribed these, which is why I thought (well we as a couple thought) we would monitor it a few days and if it hadn't gone then sta the course.

Feeling rather idiotic now.

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showtunesgirl · 26/02/2013 10:32

I have been given these by the doc when my brown preventer inhaler and blue reliever didn't help. It's just a little booster to help the body get over what's wrong.

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BeerTricksPotter · 26/02/2013 10:34

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mylittlepuds · 26/02/2013 10:38

They're soluble ones so mixed with juice and used a Calpol syringe. He keeps saying 'nice'. Bless him. I'm going to take him to the docs this afternoon andexplain what's happened. Thanks everyone. God why is parenting so hard?

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BeerTricksPotter · 26/02/2013 10:42

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Sirzy · 26/02/2013 10:43

I am impressed he is saying they are nice, even when mixed with juice DS hates them!

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