Is DD having an asthma attack or is it just a cold?

[KatyMac]

She is 14 and a fairly bad asthmatic; I am on the phone to NHS Direct

She is coughing very hard, croup like, and retching regularly

She is not a good colour (but she has a cold) - we doubled her inhaler on Thursday & she is taking regular ventolin.

It's so hard to make the call

Can she not tell you, she should know if it feels like asthma. As an asthmatic I would recommend you take her in if in any doubt. My asthma is often worse when I have a cold. She may need a nebuliser.

She rarely has asthma attacks just very low peak flow; she is so miserable

Peak flow is 170/190 & it's normally about 280/300

DD's asthma only really rears its head when she has a cold. If your dd has been on double dose since thursday I think another opinion is required tbh.

Has she been taking her inhalers? I know my dd likes to think she is invincible and that I am making a fuss.... not saying this is the case, but worth double checking?

Can you hear a wheeze? Could she walk the stairs without getting breathless? Is her ventolin helping or not having an effect at all?

Ventolin is helping - stairs are a problem as is talking

Her peak flow is too low in my (not a doctor of medicine) opinion. I would take her in for reassurance and let a clinician decide. There will be no wait at a&e they never make a suspected asthma attack wait.

Is she talking in full sentences? Peak flow seems very low. How are her inhalers helping? Maybe pop her in the bathroom and get it steamy and see if that helps.

I don't always wheeze... But if I felt breathless to the extent I could barely talk I would go in. She might not be getting enough ventolin into her, does she have a spacer (plastic thing you spray your ventolin into and then breathe inane out through it?

In and out. Not inane!

It should like croup tbh

Talking is hard - as she starts coughing; she has a spacer

So she should be getting plenty of ventolin. Maybe keep an eye on her for a bit longer? What did nhs direct say?

The retching coul dbe due to low oxygen levels. It's hapened to my rellies with similar asthma attacks (ie not accute ones but obviously not at all well at the time)

How old is dd? Do you still have a spacer device?
If so giver 10 puffs 1 every 10 secs via spacer and see if it helps.
Do not watch and wait with asthma, if she is struggling to complete full sentences get her to a and e. Let them decide, they will always take asthma seriously

A&E

I'll let you know later

Okay Katy... I do think it's for the best, you'll be seen straight away if you tell the receptionist you think she's having an asthma attack. A nebuliser should give her some relief.

If stairs and talking are a problem that is my sign to get DS to A and E straight away.

Hope she is ok

Best to do A&E, quite right, err on side of caution.

Hope the snow isn't too bad with you & you get seen quickly.

Snow was 6 inches....in our drive, 4 on our road and none on any of the rest of the roads

We have 30mg prednisilone (6 a day for 5 days); if she hadn't been asthmatic (& I had taken our consultant letter) they would have said fluids & paracetamol. But "despite her having enough ventolin her chest sounds ropey and it's best to attack at times like these"

So........

At least you have got the pred early so hopefully she feels better soon.

She seems better - I think just being seen and told she isn't fussing has been important

It's a tricky age

Glad she seems better.

I think that reassurance is good whatever age you are. Whenever I have to take DS into A and E I always feel like I am overreacting but then when they take you seriously it is reassuring.

That was it

I explained to NHS direct, then to the nurse & then the Dr that I just couldn't tell - I felt so silly