4yo with Asthma, crackly breathing all night

[LonelyLinda]

I'm just after a bit of advice/moral support really.

My 4yo has asthma for which he has the seretide inhaler morning and evening. I took him to the gp yesterday as he has had a nasty croup sounding cough at night and it sounds like his chest has a lot of mucus on it.

The gp said his chest is clear and that it is his asthma getting worse and not a virus/infection which I had thought it might be (although his temperature is completely normal).

Whilst at the drs his breathing sounded crackly which the gp said would be the mucus, but his breathing was crackly all night and it sounded so dreadful it just really worried me.

Is this normal or is there anything I can do to make it stop.

It is the first time this has happened and obviously it is a worry if his ashtma is getting worse.

Can you push for a referral to a specialist? Him saying his asthma is getting worse without making effort to control it really isn't good enough!

DS is 3.5 and asthmatic and is struggling with his chest in this heat he takes 2 puffs of seretide morning and night, motelukast, cetrizine and at the moment 10 puffs of ventolin each day with top up ventolin when needed - he is back at his consultant next week so I am hoping he has some suggestions to control it more!

I have a 23 year old DD with bloody awful difficult to control asthma, we find the nurses on the asthma uk helpline really, really useful at times like this. You can call them on 0800 1216244. I find most GPs are useless at asthma, I agree with Sirzy, push for a referral to your local asthma specialist.

Wow thank you both so much for your helpful responses.

We are seeing a consultant at the end of next week, although at our last appointment he suggested it was a habit rather than asthma?!?!? (Bizarre), so I'm not sure what help he will be.

I didn't realise there was a helpline number, that is very useful thank you. I do feel like I don't know enough about asthma and there is nobody to ask - it is such a worry isn't it. I lose a lot of sleep worrying!

When my DS gets crackly lungs I skip the gp and take him to A&E, have been admitted to the ward all but one time and he has needed steroids and antibiotics on all occasions.

Not saying that your DS will need such drastic action but for mine, the crackling lungs are almost always a sign of an infection which needs more than his daily inhalers.

Hope he feels better soon!

My very mild asthma is giving me trouble at the moment as it is so humid and I noticed my breathing is like this at night.

Try not to worry but perhaps call the no above.