Please help, confused over asthma

[lostmumsarah989]

Hi, i have a 3 and a half year old little girl, iv taken her to the doctors 2 days ago and they have given me an asthma inhaler for her, as iv said on a different post before she has been relatively ill since christmas, runny nose, cough and cold symptoms. She also lost alot of weight but that seems to be ok now and at a steady level. She seems to mainly be very wheezy at night. I have recently discovered mould growing in her bedroom (around the window) due to condensation (according to landlord) and on the back of her wardrobe. i have done some research into this and found it can be a trigger of asthma.Im wondering if this could have contributed to the asthma. Im doing all i can to get rid of it and she is currently sleeping in my room. Does anybody have any experience with a child with asthma and problems maybe caused by the mould. Can it also be triggered by big changes in the temperature (e.g warm and cold rooms) Any help would be appreciated as the doctor didnt do too well explaining it to me, all that i have learnt is off of the web and am unsure what is reliable

[belledechocchipcookie]

Yes. The mould spores do contribute to asthma. My son's asthmatic and the cold weather makes him worse. I'd say that she's reacting to the damp in her room to be honest. Your health visitor can help. I hope she's feeling better soon, it must be very scary for you both.

[Sidge]

Cold, damp and mould can be common triggers for asthma.

Trying to reduce the mould is good, and keeping rooms at a stable mild temperature with a little fresh air can be helpful too - if it's too cold, or too stuffy that can make things worse.

You should find within a few weeks of having her new inhaler (is it a brown one?) she should be less wheezy and sleeping better, especially if she's in your room which isn't damp.

Have you seen Asthma UK's website? It's got some good information

[lostmumsarah989]

They've given me a blue inhalor, is that wrong?

[belledechocchipcookie]

No, that's just a reliever to relieve the symptoms. They can give a brown inhaler which is used in the morning and evening, this helps to prevent wheezes.

[lostmumsarah989]

what are the procedures. I mean as in should the doctors be doing something to monitor it (e.g appointments, check ups). They seemed to just hand me the perscription for the inhalor and send me on my way

[lostmumsarah989]

And is there something i can do at night apart from the inahalor to make her more comfortable its really hard hearing her wheezing and coughing so much and its really worrying me

[belledechocchipcookie]

If she's wheesy then give her 2 puffs of the inhaler through the spacer (plastic thing that looks like a space rocket). Shake it, then put it into the end with the oposite side over her mouth and nose then press the button on the inhaler. Wait for her to take 8 deep breathes then repeat. If she's still wheezy then give her 2 more doses. If this doesn't help then call NHS direct.

I'd call the health visitor, she'll go through it all with you

[belledechocchipcookie]

You can use 2 pillows to prop her up as this helps.

[Sidge]

No it's not wrong, they will have given her that to ease her symptoms. You can use it as much as you need to - do you have a spacer? If so you can give her the blue inhaler at night, even when she's asleep, through the spacer if she's coughing and wheezing.

I would hope they would see you again in a few weeks, to see if it helped. And next time they may well give you a brown inhaler which is an inhaled steroid to reduce inflammation and irritation (that is probably what's causing the wheezing).

If they haven't told you when to go back, just make another appointment to see the GP or asthma nurse in a few weeks

[lostmumsarah989]

Ok im going to call the health visitor in the morning and find out all the information i need to know. Yes i gave her the inahaler about 7.30 before i put her to bed. Although it says on the inhalor 2 puffs every four hours as required will it be harmful to do it again after 3 hours if shes still wheezing? i must sound so stupid but i really dont know much about asthma and inhalers so thank you for your help

[Sidge]

You may find the HV isn't hugely clued up on asthma - ask at the GP surgery if they have an asthma nurse and ask to see or speak to her!

You can use the blue inhaler as much as you need to - the idea is that the effect lasts for about 4 hours but you can give it sooner if you need to. It's worth telling the asthma nurse how much she is needing, and how often, as that can influence how they manage her asthma next.

You're not being stupid at all, asthma is quite complex and when it's new it's bewildering! Hope she is better soon.

[ClaireOB]

Another source of helpful and reliable information are the asthma nurse specialists on Asthma UK's adviceline -details here. Calls free from a BT landline, line is open Monday-Friday 9-5pm