Anybody have a direct pass onto the ward for asthma/nebuliser use. Instead of going via A+E?

[BackToB4Beatrice]

DD, 2.6, has just been official diagnosed asthmatic, although we have been in and out of hospital since she was 4months old. We have been admitted 6 times, and have stayed for up to 8 nights.
In between these admissions we have been to A&E for several hours, used the nebs, until her stats are better and then gone home.
After a horrendous attack at the GPs, where we were then blue lighted to A&E, we were diagnosed, and I had to go to a meeting with the "asthma nurse". Who basically just told me that asthma shouldnt be underestimated and explained when to up and down the puffers. She also told me that if she has an attack/episode to take her to hospital if I am having to use sabutamol more than every four hours.

This happend this week, so I went to A&E, and after a while the doctor suggested that we possibly should have direct pass so a not to come via A&E.
Unfortunately he said this a little off the record and suggested I talk to the nurse at the GPs.

Does anybody know anything about this? Or how I go about it?
I feel like I have been fighting for 2 years to get a DX, in order to have puffers on repeat prescription etc, and after the doctor suggested this I feel like the GPs are maybe not being pro active enough?

TIA for any advice or additional info.

CrystalGlasses - Direct experience... dd was diagnosed as asthmatic at 3yo by a specialist.

BackToB4Beatrice - Is your dd on a daily preventer inhaler and antihistamines (+ anything else)?

The thing that I'd be wanting to work towards in your shoes is better asthma control. This will inevitably involve trying medications (new/different), and it would also be worth looking at your dd's triggers to see how you can limit those.

My dd's triggers include dust mites & cat hair, and so I make a point to try to hoover everyday, we're in a house with no carpets, she has anti-allergy bedding etc. Between these small changes and medications her asthma is much better controlled than it was when she was first diagnosed.

You really do sound like you need some more support. I ended up with a letter from the GP on her file at OOH (and a copy that I keep to hand with her asthma plan and emergency kit) as she has a tendency to go from looking absolutely fine to being incredibly ill very quickly and I felt like some of the drs thought I was exaggerating.

MrsPlesWearsafez, a reliable diagnosis of asthma isn't possible for pre school children at present although many respiratory pediatricians refer to it as such. Strictly speaking it is known as pre school wheeze, because at around 5 years the asthmatic symptoms either lessen and eventually disappear or tests can be done which predict a long term condition of asthma. Preschool wheeze is every bit as alarming and distressing for parent and child alike and acute attacks can be life threatening and will often result in emergency admission to hospital and invasive treatment- sometimes monthly for some poor little souls. So the main difference in the labels are that in under fives it is called pre school wheeze because we can't predict if it will continue beyone 5 years, when it is then diagnosed as asthma (if it continues) - which is a long term condition. Treatment are more or less the same for both groups of children.

Sorry for the essay!

that is fair enough, crystalglasses, i understand that pre 5 you are not able to do a peak flow test (this is what our asthma nurse and paed explained to us). but i think most people in the position that the op is in, would have their child's condition referred to as asthma, and would use that term themselves. Partly because preschool wheeze doesn't quite convey the seriousness of the condition.

I know when I filled out an asthma card at dds preschool, to explain when she would need her inhalers etc, it is a lot simpler for them to understand to refer to it as asthma, rather than preschool wheeze.

Yes I do understand what you mean, and I didn't mean to suggest for a minute that pre school wheeze was less serious than asthma. I suppose I am just being pedantic as well as flying the flag for pre school wheeze to be accepted as the serious condition it is.