Any parents of Asthma sufferers able to help?

[Helllppppp]

Last winter, my daughter was diagnosed with Viral Wheeze. This winter the GP seems certain it’s asthma she is suffering from. We now have an asthma plan and are booked in again after Xmas for an asthma review with the nurse.

The good news is, the wheeze seems to have gone and the blue inhaler was very effective for that.

The problem that I’m having this evening is dealing with DD’s persistent cough. Is it likely this is all caused by the asthma? She can’t sleep because of it so is sitting upright in my bed with me but the cough just isn’t easing. She can speak in full sentences so she isn’t struggling with breathlessness like she has done previously.

I’m going to take her back into the GP in the morning. Any advice to help us through the night?

Big hugs op. I hope she's better and home soon x

Thanks all. Feeling useless waiting for news.

Okay... I’m now more confused than ever.

DH has just phoned to say that they are on their way home with steroids and the doctor at out of hours has said she has croup. Apparently he checked her oxygen levels and her breathing etc and it was all perfectly fine but that the he was certain the cough was croup.

DD used to suffer from croup all the time when she was younger. I’d say she’s had it at least 20 times. The cough didn’t sound like croup at home but DH said on the phone that her cough changed somewhat since they left and definitely sounds like croup now. She coughed whilst we were on the phone and I have to agree with that. I’m just so confused by all of this though. Could the cough still be asthma related but her airways be clear thanks to the high dosage of blue inhaler she’s been having? I am honestly just so confused by it all.

Asthma is unique to the individual although there are common symptoms, triggers etc. I come from a long line of asthmatics and we are all different. I would recommend trying to see the specific asthma nurse this side of Christmas as they are really knowledge and can answer any questions you may have as well as offering advice. I have so much panic/guilt around my daughters asthma that I'm there quite often.

I'm glad your DD is on their way home.

I’m tempted to book in with the GP tomorrow because I just feel like we need some answers at this point.

Why does DD continually suffer with croup?
Is this currently croup or is it asthma that she is suffering with? Or both?
The doctor at hospital has said to give her 2 puffs every 4 hours, is this enough at the moment?

It is scary enough trying to treat asthma, but it’s worse being uncertain of what we are actually treating.

Thanks @Whycantyoulickmyfootmummy

Nothing cold allowed with cough variant asthma. Give her warm tea, juice, cocoa. Nothing cold.

They would have given you steroids for cough due to asthma too

OP, asthma can make you more susceptible to developing a variety of upper respiratory infections and asthma cough/wheezing can also be set off by typical childhood illnesses like croup. So, it's not strange that your DD started with typical cough variant asthma symptoms that progressed into croup. Both conditions involve inflammation in the airway, the only difference is that in croup, it's the larynx (voice box) that gets inflamed versus the bronchi of the lungs with asthma. Kids who frequently contract croup are at a higher risk of developing asthma as well so the overlap is pretty common. The good news is that the steroids she was treated with at the out of hours clinic will help with both croup and asthma. Plus, you have reassurance that her oxygen levels aren't being impacted by the persistent cough, at least at the moment. Definitely follow up with the asthma nurse tomorrow and ask about whether or not your DD might benefit from a controller inhaler or medication. It'd also be useful to get some guidance on how you should treat the bedtime cough symptoms if they continue. Hope you ace your exam!

Thanks @Purpleartichoke

@youngscrappyandhungry that information is so helpful, thank you.

The good news is that the steroids face completely stopped the coughing. Does this mean the cough is definitely down to asthma/croup? I’m guessing with a normal cough caused by a virus, steroids wouldn’t help.

Unfortunately they didn’t give us any more steroids. They just administered some at the hospital so I’m envisaging the cough could return again this evening.

If she responded to the oral steroids it means she is steroid responsive so yes she has asthma. She should be on an inhaler steroid regularly now.

good plan to visit gp/asthma nurse today.

wrt bedding, try washing it at 60.
if her duvet/pillow are feather, replace with a synthetic version, ideally one that can be washed hot as well.
hoover & damp dust her bedroom (but not close to bedtime)

basically with asthma you need to find and minimise triggers as much as possible.
allergens that are very common have been mentioned.
around the bed: dust, dust mites, mould. they all thrive in winter when there is less air circulation.
limit stuffed toys to a couple that can be washed (tbh most can go on a gentle wash).

aerosols/sprays: don't use them when she's around. contain them to the room you use them in. consider switching to liquid versions (deodorant roll on or stick, bucket of soapy water and sponge for cleaning)

important and often neglected: exercise to strengthen the lungs. preferably outside, but anything that she likes and gets her sweaty will do.
also consider her taking up a brass or wind instrument. the controlled breathing can really help.

good luck

The steriods will help asthma, that is what they would normally give. DS will get a bad cough then it'll sound croupy before he deteriorates to wheezing. He's only ever been wheeze once, that's when his oxygen has dropped. He's been diagnosed with cough variant asthma and is allergic to house dust mites.

It took some pushing with the GP but we had a refural to a pedatrition to finally get him sorted out. His is actually quite bad he takes Montalsk and antihistamines with a Seretide inhaler.

I would always insist on a refural with a young child. They can diagnose them properly and you get more consistent care. GP monerting is find once it's undercontrol.

Hope you’ve had a good night Helllppppp and DD is feeling better, GP today is a good call, the surgery we attend has an asthma nurse who does Respiratory check every 6 months, might be worth seeing if yours has similar?

Thanks everyone. GP opens in half an hour so will call and see if we can be seen.

I would love a referral to a paediatrician. I feel as though there’s always been issues there for her. She had croup for the first time when she was 12 weeks old which I know is young to have croup. It’s been ongoing since then through winter months and has obviously now progressed. I would like a proper diagnosis for her so we can understand it a little better. Will see what the GP thinks today.

Ask to be referred. What area of the country are you in? I asked my GP for a referral (after getting informal advice from a consultant paid). Honestly, the advice I had been given by multiple GPs, asthma nurse etc, was completely conflicting and it's no wonder I was confused about an asthma 'plan'. My sons asthma nurse, for example, told me to start brown preventer at the signs of an attack. But the brown inhaler (preventer) actually takes 10 days to build up properly in the body, so is useless in an attack. The brown inhaler is what should be taken day in day out to prevent.

Anyway, it was only under consultant care that I finally got answers to what was causing the asthma (he has allergic asthma and viral wheeze) and a proper plan, properly medicated (he was on montelukast for 3 years, not this year though).

Ask for a referral and get some proper help.

Paed, not paid -
Autocorrect.

Also, try vit d supplements. There's some research to show a link between vit d deficiency and asthma.

And it's very common for kids to grow out of viral wheeze once their lungs become bigger. My son is 9 now, and we've begun to withdraw some medication.

Dd gets a mix of different steroids depending on the severity. The goal is as little as possible because the side effects can be unpleasant. Sometimes she just gets a nebulizer at the hospital. Sometimes we do nebulizer treatments at home. Sometimes she takes pills.

Asthma, especially cough variant, is a tricky beast. Just when you think you have it under control and a good routine for attacks, you will get one that is different and needs a different response. The good news is each day your child gets older and is better able to explain exactly how they feel. DD’s last attack, I picked her up from school at the request of the nurse and dd told me to drive to the doctor directly. She was absolutely right and I was so relieved I listened to her because when things went really bad about an hour later we were in the right place. It’s a very scary condition, but thankfully we live in a time where there are so many treatments available.

The GP couldn’t do a great deal today. He said that her airways are still clear which is great and not to worry too much about her coughing tonight as long as she is able to talk in sentences. He said that ultimately, they believe the only thing that will really help DD is the preventer inhaler but she has only been using that for 8 days so it may take longer to kick in.

I couldn’t get a referral to paeds but we have an appointment with the asthma nurse in the morning for a review.

If it is asthma, you will find out that your DD is better (or worse) at some times of the day. If the problem continues, get her an appointment at the time when she is normally at her worse. For DS it was the morning, by the afternoon he was perfectly fine)

Do keep going back if it doesn't get better. DS did get slightly better the brown inhaler but it didn't stop. It wasn't until he was put on montelukast and his seritied inhaler. That's when he got a lot better and stopped needing his blue inhaler.