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Original poster

6 yo with viral wheeze. Flu jab or nasal spray which one is more effective.

26 replies

Morethanthisprovincallife · 19/09/2018 13:34

I can't wait till the school gives her the NHS free nasal spray in December.
She has only had a couple few episodes but they have been terrifying, rush to a and e straight in...

Docs call it viral wheeze but I get her done as soon as I can every year because its the change if air which affects her.

I don't mind paying and the docs nurse told me they will not do her.. In past years they give it to us when dd is well enough as soon as we can.

So, I don't mind paying but it will only be the jab privately. Will this cover her as well as the spray

Do I need to go back to the the doctors re getting it bespoke for her. I will have to write a letter to them as I can't Co ordinate times to actually call and arrange to speak to someone.

Wwyd

OP posts:
Furrycushion · 19/09/2018 13:46

Is it even available yet? The vaccine will only protect your DD against the flu virus itself, nothing else. If it comes on at this time of year it could be allergy to fungal spores. Or if brought on by the cold it could respond well to Ventolin.

Original poster
Morethanthisprovincallife · 19/09/2018 13:49

Yes it's available.

The flu jab or spray won't stop her wheeze..

But it is to prevent her from getting flu when she does have this weakness around breathing. This is why I want to get it. Any cold, cough.. We are in danger area. Last year we had her done as soon as flu spray started. We got through it without serious illness and hospital and we supported her with in hacker

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Randomactofkindness · 19/09/2018 14:03

I’m a pharmacist who does private flu jabs but my private PGD only allows me to do children over 12. I’m phoning weekly to my surgery as my son has asthma and I want him to have the nasal asap but they don’t have the stock in yet.

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Mistigri · 19/09/2018 14:06

If you're getting it done privately then you should take the advice of the private practitioner that you consult.

In the UK children are usually given the nasal spray unless they are immunocompromised, but there doesn't seem to be any evidence that it's more effective than the jab.

Where we live, both children and adults get the jab. We have already received the letter for my DD (who is asthmatic) so I assume the vaccine is already available.

Original poster
Morethanthisprovincallife · 19/09/2018 21:29

Random I'm sure I can get 5 year old done private but it will only be jab. Which I suppose if better than nothing

@randomactofkindness

Will have jab soon and nasal spray in December harm her at all?

What would you suggest? W
I can't wait till December..

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Wobblington · 19/09/2018 21:35

You might find she's not so bad this year. My DS also had post viral wheeze and he grew out of it by the time he was 6. Bigger airways / better immune system and all that. Do you have an inhaler at home - we had the blue and white ones which def helped with keeping DS out of hospital. Try not to worry and like others have said the flu jab probably won't help that much as the post viral wheeze can happen after any virus not just flu.

Original poster
Morethanthisprovincallife · 19/09/2018 22:01

It's a cough that brings it into though.

She will be far more vulnerable with flu and chest issues... With the wheeze.

Also that's what they call it but actually no one had a clue what it was or what caused it. All I know is when she has a chesty cough she is much worse...

OP posts:
AuditAngel · 19/09/2018 22:43

Is your child asthmatic? We find that DD2 has to start her brown Clemil inhaler now to ward of the symptoms, although hers manifests as a cough initially

Original poster
Morethanthisprovincallife · 19/09/2018 22:51

Audit she's only 5 and has not been diagnosed with anything.

Last winter we got her through with blue inhaler...
Maybe I should ask about brown I don't understand how it works.

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Furrycushion · 19/09/2018 23:04

The brown inhaler reduces the inflammation in the airways, it's for prevention rather than treatment.

Original poster
Morethanthisprovincallife · 20/09/2018 13:08

@furrycushion

You seem to know about this, would you think maybe she needs a brown one if this chesty cough starts in September?

OP posts:
YetAnotherThing · 20/09/2018 13:25

I understand that The intramuscular injection is equally effective as nasal spray in kids (more pleasant for them). I have an asthMatic 4 yr old (started as viral wheeze in toddlerhood) and we were give IM when she was too young for nasal spray. GP was fine with this.

In terms of whether your child needs a brown/orange steroid inhaler- you ideally should be assessed by a paediatrician. We were told There’s poor evidence it works in viral wheeze but is obviously good for asthma. So, the question is whether your child is actually asthMatic, which nobody can really tell you online! They need to listen to her chest when she’s well and without virus etc.

Changedforpost · 20/09/2018 13:29

Don't let them fob you off with "viral induced wheeze "ask to see a respiratory nurse. They called my son's episodes this till I put my foot down. It is in fact pretty severe asthma and is awful over winter with all the bugs and viruses. He's two in November and has pneumonia around 10 times in his little life . I've already put in a query at the drs about the jab just waiting on a response

Changedforpost · 20/09/2018 13:31

My son has a brown and blue inhaler. Brown is the preventer which is daily. Blue is when needed when he's having a flare up...or he tries to get too excitable and gets wheezy

itbemay · 20/09/2018 13:38

@Morethanthisprovincallife she needs a proper assessment by a paediatric respiratory specialist. I would take her to see GP, she shouldn't be using ventolin often without a diagnoses (but continue to use whilst waiting referral).

Furrycushion · 20/09/2018 15:41

Yes take her to see a specialist. She needs the flu vaccination to protect her but that's not really the issue here, the wheeziness is.

Original poster
Morethanthisprovincallife · 20/09/2018 21:14

It's hard isn't it.

She only gets slightly wheezy when she has chesty cough.

In terms of ventolin use... She has had some in the night this week and some after school.

I was also told there is nothing wrong with using ventolin when we are worried ie can't harm her like say... Having calpol every day...

It's bizzare, no one has really helped me at all with it but I know from another mum whose dc has far more breathing issues she isn't that bad at all.

It's literally this of year with cough on chest

OP posts:
Original poster
Morethanthisprovincallife · 20/09/2018 21:15

@yetanotherthing

Intra muscular injection... Do you mean the injection!

OP posts:
Politicalacuityisathing · 20/09/2018 21:25

Agree with those saying push for an appointment with a consultant, if your DC is having frequent hospital treatment/admissions. Does she get nebulised and / or liquid steroid when she goes in? In which case , if it's happening frequently, she'd be better off on a low dose, daily preventer. Was a game changer for us. DC has hardly used blue puffer in 4 years and never been back in hospital. They never call it asthma until they're at least 5 by have always treated it as asthma. Good luck. It is so stressful

aintnothinbutagstring · 20/09/2018 21:55

She needs a brown inhaler or further investigation with a respiratory specialist. My ds has had a brown inhaler from about 18 months so don't let the gp tell you she's too young to be diagnosed with asthma.

Our area is a flu spray pilot area so all school children can have it, except if they have an active wheeze at the time of receiving the vaccine. I'd say the spray is better as its a live vaccine. I've been happy for my dc to have it for the past few years, but last year I think they added a new strain and both dc were very ill for 24hrs after so may not do it this year.

Original poster
Morethanthisprovincallife · 20/09/2018 22:02

She's been in a and e twice in past two coming up to three years.
Touch wood I think we kept her out with inhaler. 1st time def nebuliser and steroid, x Ray and tubes in hand.

Second time I'm not sure def nebuliser...

It's a bizzare thing because it's not obvious.
Any sign of wheeze, cackle I'm straight into doctors now. In case been anti biotic sometimes they don't even check her oxygen l have had to ask.
I wish I could have oxygen check at home!it's something they put on her finger.

OP posts:
CherryBlossom23 · 21/09/2018 01:57

You can buy pulse oximeters (the finger check for oxygen) online on amazon. Don't know how accurate they are but might be useful to have in the house.

Original poster
Morethanthisprovincallife · 21/09/2018 07:34

Really!! Thanks cherry they would certainly be a guide!

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Chrisinthemorning · 21/09/2018 07:42

DS is much milder by the sounds of it but he has winter cough. He starts with his first cold of the winter and coughs until Spring- worse with cold/ exercise.
He’s on seretide which is a combined steroid and long acting beta agonist. Ventolin- short acting beta agonist. And montelukast.
Go to the gp and ask to see the asthma nurse.

MiniMaxi · 21/09/2018 07:43

Our DS (age 2) is similar - works harder to breathe every time he gets even a simple cold, tendency to croupy cough etc

After visiting A&E every fortnight last winter, we saw a consultant who diagnosed “bronchial hyper reactivity” and said it should get better as he grows, unless he turns out to be asthmatic.

Consultant gave us an action plan including salbutamol and atravent inhalers which helps massively.

I’d push for a referral or see someone privately if you can afford it.

As for the jabs i don’t know I’m afraid as DS only just old enough to have it this year - but I wouldn’t double vaccinate (jab then spray) personally