Doctor thinks DS (6mths) has infantile ashtma

[ihavenewsockson]

She says they can't diagnose for definate until he is about 2 but has prescribed a puffer and spacer.
He's only 6 mths old.
He's always been a wheezy baby, at first I didn't think much of it as it was quite rare but it's getting more common now. A kinda whistly noise but it gets very raspy as he's falling asleep.
He coughs a fair bit on and off during the day/night.

I'm worrying about what happens if he has an attack during the night (or day for that matter) I have very limited experience with ashtma.

Is it my fault for not BF past 6 weeks?

I have always had a horrible sense of dread about him getting ill/ dying, since the GP at my post natal 6 week check pointed out that the highest risk of a baby dying is during the first year. And now this.

Any experiences / thoughts/ advice?

[quirkychick]

ihavenewsockson you poor thing. My dd has asthma, although diagnosed at 3yrs. I bf for 2.5yrs and she's been hospitalised twice with asthma so I wouldn't beat yourself up about it.

Re an asthma attack, I was told if I had to give salbutamol (blue inhaler) more regularly than every 4 hours then to contact gp/out of hours dr. Tbh they are more likely to have an attack at night. If you are really worried don't hesitate to call an ambulance/999 though. The asthma nurse at the surgery told us this.

Is there an asthma nurse/clinic that you can go to? If you don't think the puffer is working he might not have asthma, or might need a preventer inhaler. I'd go back and get it checked.

I think all new mums have horrible sense of dread about babies being ill/dying. It is completely normal.

Hope it all works out for you soon.

[ihavenewsockson]

Thanks quirky.
You have made me feel better. I was almost certain that if I had BF longer he wouldn't have it.
He was only diagnosed yesterday so I'm not sure yet how affective the inhaler is- I will see.

He's my DS2 but my sense of dread is much bigger with him than DS1. Funny isn't it?

Thanks again.

[nellie12]

They dont usually like to call it asthma in the under 2's. Usually they just say wheezy baby which is immature airways and they can grow out of it by he age of 2.

Ds2 was very wheezy as a baby on ventolin and seretide plus there is a strong family history so I was convinced it was asthma,but now he's 4 and there is no sign of it so fingers crossed that was it. Hope fully it the same for your lo. I dont think your feeding choice has anything to do with it though.

[ihavenewsockson]

Thank you all so much.
I feel alot better about things now.
It's just nice to get another perspective on things, and hear the collective voice of wisdom.