Three kids, two of them asthmatic.
Middley got RSV and bronchiolitis at about 10 weeks old, was very poorly indeed for about a week. He's got brittle asthma - the kind where you get very poorly very quickly.
The chronic management is excellent, he's as active as any of his peers and totally symptom free.
The acute management is guff - if he gets a virus his lungs just seize up. And, 7 year old boys get a lot of viruses. Happily, we live 20 mins away from the Sick Kids - and the treatment is very effective. We're usually in for two or three nights, then home on a protocol because us sensible calm mum's can cope!
It is the most terrifying thing, particularly when they are so small. It's way more scary than blood and guts - but, you get used to it and it becomes predictable after a while.
Most kids grow out of it, mine's certainly now never as poorly as he was when he was tiny.
Having said all that - 4 kids a day die of asthma in the UK. These are the kids who aren't spotted as struggling, it can be quite subtle and easy to miss if you don't know what you are looking for. The treatments are absolutely brilliant, but if they get help late, well, outcomes aren't so good.
So, I am absolutely compliant with his meds, and he's very au fait with what he should be doing. School have been great, make sure he's doing his inhalers but without making him feel like there's Something Wrong With Him.
We're in it for the long haul too - but, on the upside, the treatment works, the treatments are practically side effect free, once the drug balance is right they are symptom free, everyone knows about asthma, and we are lucky enough to live somewhere where help is available and free.
If I'm feeling despondent on a noisy ward, having yet another sleepless night, that makes me count my blessings.
Look after yourself and get some rest. Another two or three days and you'll be right as rain - but, if you are worried, go straight back to A+E.
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