Hay fever and asthma

[mousymouse]

ds (4) has hay fever for the first time this spring. He takes ceritizine (sp?).
Lately I have noticed that he coughs at night, not weezing but a very dry not productive cough. I have allergic asthma myself but I wheeze. (take ventolin to relieve). my fear now of course that this is the beginning of asthma but the gp was dismissive so far, just said hay fever without really looking at the child...should I push for an appointment with another gp?

It could just be the hayfever causing the cough. Whether or not you seek another appointment will depend on two things imo: how long he has been taking the ceterizine and how bad the cough is. If he hasnt been taking it that long i would leave it a bit before making a decision as it will take a while for the meds to build up in his system to work fully.
If the cough isnt bothering him it might just be the unusually high levels of pollen and smog atm and thus keeping an eye on him to see if it persists/worses might be an option.

Of course if you are very concerned you are entitled to seek a second opinion. And doctors dont always diagnose asthma readily. Ds had asthma treatments for years but only recently got his diagnosis. he is what they call generally a happy wheezer. but very dreadful during hayfever season.

Thanks. I am worried of course as I have asthma myself that was left untreated because my mother thought homeopathy is sufficient... :(
I don't want him to suffer like I did.
Will wait a few more days, he just started on the medicine on friday.

Was told with ds it could take 2 weeks to be fully up to effect when he started. Ime it can take a month depending on how bad i am when i start. can understand why you are concerned about it based on that. We need some rain to shift some pollen and smog out of the air. As a hayfever sufferer i like it when it rains at peak pollen time. Sorry sunworshipers.

:o
I am the same. I love to open the windows wide after a good rain!

I had hayfever last summer and again this year with associated wheeze and cough but don't have asthma (2 of my daughters do though).

I use a salbutamol inhaler for symptom relief but don't need it at any other time, literally just for the first few weeks of the early pollen season.

I would give your son the cetirizine regularly but it probably won't make a lot of difference to his respiratory symptoms. He may well need some salbutamol via an inhaler as required - ask your GP or practice asthma nurse. You don't have to have an asthma diagnosis to use inhalers for symptom relief. And needing it for hayfever doesn't necessarily mean he has asthma but allergy and asthma do often go together.

Thanks. We are in forrin ATM, all dr surgeries closed till Tuesday. If it doesn't get better soon I will try to get him seen then.

Short update, after a few more days on the meds he feels much better and doesn't wake us all up at night with his cough

'nother update, we've been to a paed today. He has been diagnosed with allergic asthma and we now have a ventolin inhaler to take before bedtime.

Glad you've got some answers - hopefully the inhaler will help