When would you, and should I, take a wheezing(?) child to the doctors?

[EmRaw]

My little girl is four years old. I have noticed recently that sometimes she makes a wheezing noise when she breathes - it sounds like it's coming from her chest and like she's blowing through a pinched straw. I think that's wheezing.

It's not all the time, and mostly in the morning, or if she wakes up in the night. I've noticed her doing it after playgroup once or twice but none of the helpers have ever said anything. She doesn't cough more than my other daughter (who is 8) and doesn't complain about it - I've never mentioned it to her, and I don't think she's noticed it herself.

So, seeing that she's never noticed, or complained, about it, should I bother taking her to the doctor or should I just leave it?

Thankyou (this is my first post on this website).

I would get your GP to listen to her chest one morning next week, she could have mild asthma so its worth being aware and maybe having inhalers at hand for emergencies. It could also be allergy related, bedding etc, and something you could remove from her environment.

Yes you should. DS was recently hospitalised with an asthma attack. He was really sick but we had no idea because he'd always been a bit wheezy. He's only 2. Officially they don't diagnose asthma till they've had a few attacks but knowing he's prone to wheezing means he is on preventative treatment now and has stopped completely. And I know if it happens again that I have a puffer to stop it in his tracks.

Asthma is worse at night and with treatment it can get better too. I would take her to the docs and just raise it. If you don't and she doesn't get any treatment and she has a serious attack, you, like me will experience the joys of staying in the children's ward on nebulisers for 24 hours.

I would get it checked out, just in case it's asthma and she has an actual asthma attack at some point.
Is it worse/ more noticeable at any specific time?

It's not all the time, but it is most days.

It's worse if she wakes in the night and worse in the morning, although sometimes it's noticeable when she goes to playgroup as well.

She often presses on her chest when you can hear the wheezing, I've noticed, but she's never said anything about it.

This is going to sound really stupid, but what's asthma? I've heard about it, but I've never been 100% sure what it is.

Hi EmRaw, it does sound like she might have asthma. It is a variable condition so she might not be symptomatic all the time, but wheezing especially at night and in the morning is fairly typical.

Have a look here to learn a bit more about asthma and click on the various links for more detail.

It is definitely worth seeing your GP about, or if your surgery has an Asthma Nurse they often know more about asthma than the GPs!

EmRaw - don't feel silly, there is no reason you would know about asthma. I didn't when DS was admitted to the hospital, I just thought he had a bad cough and was a bit congested .

And again, it's completely treatable these days.

Look here
www.asthma.org.uk/all_about_asthma/asthma_basics/index.html

If it's worse at night and in mornings it sounds rather like asthma to me(ds has it and that is when he is worse) best to go to gp and see what they think but will prob put her on an inhaler.

Sorry, Sidge has given the same link

Hi!

Thanks for your help. He listened to her chest, and couldn't hear anything but said that he'd prescribe her a blue (Vent something?) inhaler anyway because I was quite specific about her symptoms.

It has come with a spacer and I am to try it next time she is wheezy or coughing.

Good! Thanks for letting us know how you got on. Ventolin inhaler (contains Salbutamol)widely used for many years. I'm sure it will help.