Hi parents of asthmatic children - I apologise for not reading the tread but I saw you've reached the 900+ mark and it will take me forever! I don't know if I qualify to put in an appearance as my barely 18 month old hasn't been diagnosed asthmatic, but since his first winter he has suffered repeated bouts of chesty coughs and wheeze. I think at times we've also had nocturnal stridors, but each time I take him to the GP (which is a LOT!) we are sent away with different antibiotics and prednisolone.
I'm always grateful to at least get that because it dampens down the cough and reduces the wheeze, but this winter it is much worse and simply won't clear up completely.
I've had it suggested to me that I don't take no for an answer and worse than that, if he is not treated correctly, he could have lasting lung damage. I feel awful for finding this out because I have worked so hard to constantly pester the GP for continuous steroids and antibiotics, and I had no idea I could be seriously letting him down by accepting this from the GP. 
So I came to the child health thread to talk to the real experts on the ground. I want to be armed with information on Monday and so I can fight my case well.
I wonder if anyone can tell me:
He often vomits when he coughs, is that specifically whooping cough or can it happen with asthma?
He is on atrovent and ventolin which I give 3 times a day. I was told give one puff but to be honest I give two because he struggles with the aerochamber and we only get about 3 or 4 breaths each time.
I wondered when they might prescribe beclomethasone inhaler and not atrovent, I know there was talk of salbutamol being unsuitable for infants as it isn't proven to work, but they gave it anyway, yet haven't given steroids except orally.
Is there anything else he should have?
Do your DC rattle much worse after eating and drinking? And do they keep getting runny noses every 3-4 weeks as though an infection keeps popping back up regularly and just isn't being controlled?
Sorry for all the questions, please be kind! I know I have probably foolishly accepted what the medics told me and so trusted their direction, when you all probably would have fought from day one. FWIW I thought I was fighting but constantly going back to them for more prescriptions. I want to go in with as much knowledge as I can next week. Thanks in advance.