To go to minor injuries with DS's asthma cough as we have run out of blue inhaler?

[woopsiedaisy36]

Obviously can't go to the Gp as not open. He's had a bad cough all week, no temp or other signs of a cold. We've been on a caravan holiday this week though and the weather has been very cold and windy especially at night which is what has bought on his cough. Cough is always his worst asthma symptom at night. We usually always have a spare inhaler but because of the extra use this week it's run out. He's coughing non stop now and I can hear a bit of wheeze, is the best option our local minor injuries?

I agree, please take him to A and E right now - and I also agree, sitting upright leaning forward might work better for him

A&e he sounds like he could use a nebuliser

I def think he needs a and e.

I would just go now op

Lying down will make it worse.

Does it sound like a dry horse cough?

Whooping cough is similar and my youngest was blue lighted to hospital with the same symptoms as your saying.

He will get seen very quickly.

They will put him on a nebuliser which will open his airways almost straight away.

I would call 999 now OP, nurse here with an asthmatic child and asthma myself. He needs seeing now, hopefully the steroids will kick in and start helping soon (24 hrs or so) but he may need more support like oxygen, and nebs until that happens. You need to be assessed in hospital. Good luck, hope you get him seen soon

@GreatBigBeautifulTommorow sorry, I’m not the OP.
@woopsiedaisy36 Asthma UK guidelines above - I think A&E is the right call

A&E will help you. They helped me. Go as soon as possible.

There are things they can do beyond meds so what he is already on isn’t going to stop them - it will inform next steps but they won’t turn you away because he’s already on XYZ meds

He needs A&E and treatment for an asthma attack as others have said.

After A&E he then needs an urgent asthma review with his GP or asthma nurse, he may need a longer course of steroids than 5 days and sounds like he needs a better preventer than the brown one.

I hope to God you took him to A&E after he got worse??? Honestly.

You seem very reluctant to take him, they won't refuse to see him because he already has medication, they'll be concerned as his medication isn't working for him and they'll be able to offer him acute medical support.

@woopsiedaisy36
So sorry I haven't seen how things deteriorated for DS.
You had excellent advice.
Just for any future scenarios like this... I would have advised giving him 10-15 puffs of his salbutamol via a spacer. ( I really hope you've been given one) over 5 minutes, while either waiting for ambulance, or if you can get him taken by someone else, with you in the back, to hospital. This is roughly equivalent to a nebuliser. It'll give him the jitters a bit and send his pulse rate up, but this is a temporary symptom and outweighed by the need for quick, urgent help.
Sats of 90% are lowish but not catastrophic.
They may give him IV steroids, possibly IV antibiotics, more oxygen and keep him in.
On discharge, he'll need a really comprehensible asthma self management plan ( well, a plan for you, his Dad, and school etc...he'll need spare salbutamol inhalers with spacers for all these different places...cubs? After school clubs?
He'll need a tweak of his brown inhaler...( BTW, do you ALWAYS remember to give it to him religiously, morning and evening? This is so important and stays important even when his asthma seems under control).
Make sure you ask, ask ask and really understand what they tell you in the paed asthma referral appt. If in doubt, make an appt with your asthma nurse specialist practice nurse, if you have one)
So sorry to not have been available when things really kicked off yesterday OP.
It must have been really scary, awful for you.
Sending thoughts and very best wishes for his swift recovery.

how is he doing OP?

Yes, how is he?

Yes, echoing above posters...do tell us how he is OP. We're thinking of you.

Hope your little one and you are all ok x