Please help - DD’s asthma again

[Schulte]

Hi, anyone with asthma experience here? My 12 yr old daughter finished a 10 day course of steroids on Sunday for an asthma exacerbation, then started coughing up yellow phlegm on Wednesday so is now on penicillin. Over the past two days she has needed her rescue inhaler again, completely out of the blue. Just now she was just sitting playing and then she suddenly needed 4 puffs of ventolin. Does this mean she needs to go back to the doctor’s and if so, how urgently do you think? She has about three days of penicillin left and is otherwise fine. She was last seen 10 days ago, the GP only spoke to us on the phone when she prescribed the penicillin. DD also started a stronger combination inhaler a week ago. Thanks so much for your advice!

What is her asthma plan? Typically if someone needs blue inhaler more than four hourly they do need to be seen.
How does she feel? Is she able to describe whether it's difficult to Breathe?
Wishing her well.

Thanks so much. She’s fine most of the time, I just hoped she would be ‘off’ her blue inhaler by now. She needed it once yesterday and once today so far. Am I overreacting?

If she has a chest infection she will obviously be needing abit more help than usual

Normal after a chest infection for my son - I’ve always been advised to give 4 hourly until fully recovered so maybe she just needs a little longer? Does the inhaler help? If so I’d maybe just keep an eye unless you’re worried about her xx

Yes, I think needing her blue inhaler occasionally is fine.
If she doesn't feel her blue inhaler is helping then she needs to see someone, or needing it more frequently.
DS was told he could take a rescue dose of up to 10 puffs of blue inhaler.
Does she have a written asthma plan?

Thanks all. Yes, she has an asthma plan but I always find in such situations it’s not hugely helpful. I also asked the GP if DD should take her inhaler regularly while on the antibiotics and GP said no. Perhaps it would be a good idea?

Using the blue inhaler twice in two days is absolutely fine as long as she's still using her preventer inhaler as well at the correct times.

I've always found Asthma U.K. to be very helpful but their Helpline isn't open at weekends.

Yes, the Asthma UK helpline is fantastic. Of course these things always happen at weekends. I’ve had a sleepless night listening out for her breathing and fretting about when and how to see a doctor. DD is going back to school tomorrow after two weeks of half term and I wish she was fully recovered

How is she doing now @Schulte? If you don't find the asthma plan to be working then it needs amending.

Thanks for asking @magicstars, she’s still asleep and seems to be breathing easily. Will see how she does today. I will ask the asthma nurse if I can have a more detailed asthma plan, this thing we have is just a standard template.

That's good & Good idea.
As a general rule- 4 hourly puffs of blue at home are ok.
If they aren't working, you can then give 10puffs l, but then Dd needs to be seen.
Obvs everyone is different though, so hopefully the nurse will give you a clear idea of what works for your Dd.

Talking to the Asthma Nurse and getting an up to date Asthma Plan sounds like it will help both of you

Her asthma plan should include what to do when it escalates. We still have DDs on the fridge after 15 years ( she's 22). So for her it's 10 puffs ventolin, take montelucast if she gets a cold, we have emergency steroid tablets and antibiotics at home ready to go. We have an acapella device if she gets a cough ( not asthma cough) to help clear her chest ( DD is immobile so we get lots of chest infections)

If your plan doesn't have this you need to know what to do. Ours includes 'dial 999'