asthma in toddlers, your experiences please!

[dingledangle]

DS is suspected as having asthma. He is 2 1/2 and has been to hospital twice with cold and cough and breathing difficulties. One of these admissions was April the other just recently. He responds well to blue inhaler and has had nebuliser treatment and steroids when in hospital being discharged within 24 hours each time. He has had colds in between these two episodes and no problems or complications.

Looking for others experiences/ suggestions which may help us to help him.

TIA

Anyone out there?

bump

bump. Anyone out there today?

My DD suffers with Asthma and has done since birth. Soon as the colder weather comes it gets worse and we've been to hospital several times and nebulised, has even had bronchitis at 8mths old :(.

She has a brown inhaler which she has 2 puffs every morning and every evening and 100mg Ventolin 2 puffs in morning, 2 puffs every evening and if feeling breathless or wheezy then has 2 puffs then.

She's prone to chest infections so get prescribed predisolone (sp?) when a cold starts to get worse to stop it going to her chest.

Its just something we cope with and have done since day 1. nothing you can do tbh, we use karvol capsules on her pillows and she has a hankerchief with karvol on to help her breathing at night, and generally it to just sit in a hot steamy bathroom to open up the airways. My DD suffers with alot of catarrah on the chest so this is regular thing every month, just something you get used to.

Hope you DS is okay tho. Sorry can't be of more help.

Thanks for that. Just trying to seek others experiences and advice.

Thanks

I do advice using karvol is really good for keeping the airways open.

Stewie, DD suffers with ear infections and tonsilitus too, have an appt with ENT at our hospital to have her tonsils removed.

I'm hoping that we don't have many hospital admissions this winter :(

Hope your DD gets better soon.

Hi StewiGriffinsmom thanks for the info.

I telephoned surgery this am and have an appointment next week with asthma nurse. I have also left a message for GP (who is excellent) and asked for referral to respiratory specialist if she feels appropriate.

DS has had other colds in between these two episodes and no wheezing/hospitalisation etc then. We did notice however that a week or so ago he was a little wheezy. I am wondering whether the change of seasons (it has been very damp here) has affected him that coupled with a cold virus (that other DC have had too) has been cause. Otherwise he is generally well and active.

He has had steroid as prescribed by hospital but no steroidal puffer was given. He did respond very well the nebuliser also.

Non-medical stuff: You can try switching curtains for blinds and, if possible, removing carpet in his room, replacing with wooden floor.
Don't use furniture polish (try damp-wiping instead to remove dust) and generally reduce the cleaning chemicals that you use in the house.
Open windows, air his room and hoover often with a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
Do not use any room scenters, freshener sprays or hairspray near him or his bedroom.
Put anti-dust-mite covers on his mattress, duvet and pillow.
Have a look at ionisers, although I don't buy into that one myself.
Keep him as active as possible, even if it does make him wheezy at first - but do check this with the nurse.
Be careful what you use in his bath.
Get a 'job lot' of inhalers and keep one in the car, one at his nan's, etc.

Hello

He was only prescribed oral steroids for three days so they are complete now, so not too worried on the steroid front at the moment.

He has only used the puffer when he has had the associated cough. When he has had a cold and not this cough I have not used the puffer as he has not been identified as needing it up until this last episode. The puffer has relieved the symptoms in both these cases, however he has had numerous colds in between and not needed any ventolin at all.

I am thinking that speaking with the asthma nurse is a starting point and then I will see where I think we need to go. However if I feel that a respiratory referral is necessary I will push for this especially as husband gets private health through work!!

Cross posting!!

Forgot to say thanks for posts

Hello I am a paediatric asthma nurse and mother of a child with asthma on my coffee break for the next 15 mintues if I can help ask away.

Hi tulip27

From what I have posted thus far would it appear to you that DS is asthmatic?

Yes it does sound likely. A few things to help with the diagnosis would be to know if DS was born at term and was he a c section or noraml delivery. Did he have bronchiolitus in his first 2 years of life. How many 'chest infections' has he had requiring antibiotics. Does he have a dry cough, especially at night? Do you have a history of asthma or allergy in the family, that includes excema and hayfever?

Hi tulip27 you may have signed off by now in answer to your questions.

Ds was born to term, he was not a c section but a natural vaginal delivery. He has not had bronchiolitus in the first two years of his life. He has never had a chest infection requiring antibiotics. The only time he has had a dry cough has been on the two episodes previously described (in April and this month).

He has eczema which was diagnosed when he was 4 months and he is no longer being treated for. He appears to have 'grown out' of it. I have no allergies and my husband suffers from mild hayfever which he rarely needs anti hist tablets for.

I would be interested to hear you point of view. thanks in advance

Slightly off subject but any helpful suggestions on how to get a three year old and a one year old to actually get any benefit from an inhaler? Both my girls have been diagnosed with 'viral wheeze' in the past and have both been given inhalers but I find them impossible to use. The three year old just runs away and the one year old is well... a baby! How on earth do you teach small children to do what they need to do?!

I dont think any doctor is able to diagnose a child with asthma under the age of 3/4....My child was the same when she was younger and she was prescribed a blue inhaler but there lungs are under developed and only when you get a full spirometry test you are able to diagnose asthma.....I think it all depends what the virus infection is.....dependant on the treatment...