Can a cough be wheezy without asthma?

[IHeartKingThistle]

DS is 5 and whenever he gets a cold it turns into a cough - that kind of spluttery cough where they can't sleep or talk easily. Lots of watery snot stuff, obviously in his throat. Not that sort of chest infection cough with thick mucus lower down. Sorry for the TMI!

He's off today as he was coughing all night and really bunged up with a streaming nose. He's a little bit warm but OK, but his breathing is a bit fast and his chest sounds wheezy, like a whistle at the end of each breath. He's not struggling to breathe or anything but it doesn't sound right.

It's really not a chest infection and I'm sure it'll pass but should I get him checked for asthma? He already has eczema and allergies so it would not be surprising I suppose!

[Suddengeekgirl]

Dd had similar last winter and was prescribed a blue inhaler. Not for asthma - as apparently they don't diagnose that in under 6yo!
Anyhow I would visit the dr and see what they say. The blue inhaler was like magic for dd. :)

[Badvoc123]

Sounds like it to me.
Do get him checked out...can get serious quickly.
He needs his sats checking.
Good luck

[IHeartKingThistle]

Oh dear .

OK on hold with doc. He's crying because he doesn't want to go.

[ireallydontlikemonday]

I have this with DTs who are 3, they both have salbutamol now but they won't diagnose asthma in under 4's where I am unless it comes on unrelated to a cold and they start a treatment plan with the steroid inhalers.

[Badvoc123]

My ds1 (11) is currently off school with bronchitis.
He has been really poorly and they have finally given him ABs.
He is asthmatic and his sats were 94 on Tuesday :(
I know he doesn't want to go...who does? But he needs to be seen.
X

[MissYamabuki]

Treatment would be the same for asthma and a viral wheeze I think?

I hope you get seen soon. Our GP wouldn't diagnose asthma and it was only after 2 hospital admissions that DD was given inhalers I wish I'd been more proactive and pushy with the GP, it would have spared DD a couple of nasty, really scary attacks!

[IHeartKingThistle]

They can't see him till 6, so I've booked that appointment. He's OK. He's sort of breathing with his stomach though if that makes sense.

DD was diagnosed with 'virally induced asthma' at about 4 but it looked very different to this - she used to throw up all the time with it. She hasn't had a bout of that for years now though.

[Badvoc123]

Op...google recessions and if that applies to your son I think he needs to be seen faster than 6pm.
Sorry, im not trying to scare you, but dc can go downhill really quickly.

[IHeartKingThistle]

Thanks for the advice. Antibiotics and inhaler . Felt awful for not taking him sooner but she said if I had she'd have said wait and see anyway!

I have to take him back when he's better to get checked for asthma.

[Suddengeekgirl]

Glad you've got him seen and he's got some good drugs to get him sorted. :)
Try and relax and enjoy a few duvet days with him if you can. (purely medicinal!)

Dare say I'll be in your shoes when dd succumbs to the first lurgy of winter.

[Badvoc123]

Glad you got him checked.
Poor lamb.
The wait and see approach really pisses me off tbh.
Ds1 is now much sicker than he would have been if they had just treated him 2 week ago when I first took him!
Hope he feels better soon x

[IHeartKingThistle]

Thanks so much. I need to remember that he doesn't really complain about being ill, unlike his sister!

[Badvoc123]

My Ds is the same!
:)