Pretty please could I have some advice on my ds underweightnd asthmatic

[mummyto2boysandagirl3]

hi this is my first post here so sorry if iv put it in the wrong place.

I'd b really grateful if anyone is able to give me some advice on my lovely ds2 who's almost 3 even if it's just to tell me to stop worrying :) I know there r lots of children that r very poorly and my worries r v small compared to others but I'm really worried atm and wondered if anyone has experienced similar and could offer some pearls of wisdom.

Ds2 started to show symptoms of asthma at around 10 months (this was coming in to the winter) the night time cough started and the wheezy rattler chest started. He was bf up to this point but just refused to take the breast and so I had to put him on a cup asthma nurse has since suggested this could have been he was struggling to feed with his chest and was easier to drink from a cup. He also started to go blue round his mouth when he was crawling and later when walking and running also when he caught a cold. He had been sleeping through the night 7-7 but this stopped and he was up most of the night with a violent cough that sometimes made him sick. His weight then began to drop down the graph at 9 months old he weighed 19lbs and now almost 3 years old only weighs 23lbs he's only 6lbs heavier than dd who's 6 months :(. The blue lips continued so gp sent him to paeds at about 14 months as there's family history of heart trouble on my side and ds1 was also born with a mumur. Paed did ECG and bp checked height and weight and said all was fine I had bf him too long and that's y his weight had dropped no way was it asthma (I'm asthmatic and was starting to think it was so asked) and only to worry if he passed out she suggested I let him continue running and c how he went.

Over that summer the night time cough eased he went back to sleeping through but started sneezing rubbing his eyes and nose, I also have hayfever but as he wasn't complaining and was only about 18 months I just gave local honey to c if that would help. He did however continue to go blue round the mouth.

Last October When the temperature had dropped the night time cough was back he was struggling to shake the cold off again and was coughing during the day still going blue when playing so I took him to my gp (she had been on mat leave when this all started) she wasn't best pleased with the response from paeds (neither was I so was nice to know I wasn't over reacting) and said she thought on symptoms and listening to his chest it absolutely was asthma gave him salbutamol and referred to asthma nurse. The salbutamol wasn't enough so 2weeks later he was put on clenil 50 2 puffs twice a day and for the most part that seemed to have it under control unless he got a cold then his inhalers pretty much did nothing asthma nurse told me not to worry about wasting Drs time with a cold as his asthma will need different treatment so first sign of a sniffle he's to come straight in. The hayfever symptoms also returned this year so he's had benedryl for that but oddly has still managed to come out in a rash which gp said was a reaction to something but no idea what (he was in for balanitis so got her to check as was already in there). I have noticed this week tho he's started going blue again when he's running round but when I stop him to give his blue inhaler he's very out of breath and u can c his little chest working hard he's not due a review til nov dh thinks I'm over reacting but I think I should take him back for nurse to check him? Also he's starting preschool in a couple of weeks I know the staff well as ds1 has just left there but ds2 is a little soldier he never moans and won't stop playing when he starts to struggle he is just desperate to keep up with ds1, I'm worried they aren't going to notice and hel end up really poorly :( does anyone have any advice on how to deal with this?

Also his growth is almost non existent he's 23lbs and still in 12-18 month clothes and his feet haven't grown in about 9/10 months. We have done a food diary for gp he eats v well intact the amount he's shovelling in he should b over weight but as he's v active she just wanted to monitor his weight through hv and send to paeds if he drops down graph. He dropped down the graph when weighed this week but hv wants to leave it a month before re weighing and involving the gp. My concern is that will then b end of sept and with his weight and asthma I'm v worried about the winter am I over reacting?

To help night time cough we have a v shaped pillow in his bed to keep him upright an air purifier and put a damp cloth on the radiator. Both the boys have a vitamin is there anything else we can do as the poor love ends up with no sleep as do the rest of us and ds1 is starting school so need to think of something that will minimalise dusturbance to him.

Also anyone got any experience of giving an almost 3 year old the flu jab?

So sorry it's so long but no one i know seems to have
any advice and my family r v ahhhh he's alright shut up
and stop worrying if uv made it this far thank u for
reading x

Hi ladies just a little update :)

I phoned Drs this morning receptionist was lovely and told me to bring him down in the next half hr saw a lovely new gp who sounded him out and checked his O2 levels all brill today. She is hopeful that he could well put some weight on now his poo is firmer after cutting the milk as if that was the problem then he should absorb more from his food and wants him referred to dietician after next weigh in and not to wait til Xmas. He's booked in for his flu jab for 1st Oct though she's checking the policy on how it's administered as she's new just come from paeds and before that a&e so she was really helpful. She said the pollen could account for him struggling this wk as most of her patients have been ppl saying their asthma or hayfever isn't under control and to give his benedryl before bed as well as the morning but if it doesn't help and he continues to struggle when he's running round then back in. She's also told me to do the 10 puffs of ventolin and if he gets to 10 a&e or they have nebs at the surgery but he can continue to have ventolin on route if no improvement as the first thing they'll do is give him puffs through a spacer. She said the tacychardia seems to bother adults more than children and he will b fine as sitting down it will settle once his breathing is under control. She's also said if the night cough comes back with the cold weather then they'll have a look at his meds. She was really nice and said that if I'm even a tiny bit worried I'm just to bring him in if he drops again at next weigh in she said they'll refer to paeds but I'm doing everything I can to keep him healthy so hopefully the winter should b too bad. I think I shall make a batch of healthy soups ds2 will always eat soup even if he's struggling with his chest so I can cram lots of nutrients in him :)

Thank u all for all ur help I'm still worried about the winter but much less stressed now x

Supportive medical staff makes all the difference. Fantastic

The first time DS had a flu jab he had 2 half doses a couple of weeks apart

It's brill that she's worked on paeds before will def b taking the dc to her again! She's just phoned me back and said it's a nasal spray in our area for under 5s not sure if that's less of a worry for an almost 3 year old than a jab or not but hopefully it will help. He's bad enough with a cold really dread to think wot he'd b like with the flu. Hope everyone else's dc children asthmatic or not have a healthy winter :)

Well done OP - good to hear the new GP is taking you seriously. Sounds like his asthma could be exercise induced, if he struggles and goes blue when running around. I would mention this aspect when seeing the GP next time as they may want you to give him his blue inhaler in advance (I realise 'exercise' is a loose term with an active 3 year old but I suppose you could time it before you got to the park etc). Going blue is really not normal with or without asthma and I would make sure you get some answers. Good luck

What great news! To find someone who listens, takes action and follows up is great.

I use bio care mindlinx which has pre and pro biotics in.

Dear OP glad that things are being taken seriously. Just wanted to mention, has your dear son ever been tested for cystic fibrosis? I know testing is done at birth now, but my own daughter( who's now 18) was not diagnosed till almost 4 years old despite failure to thrive from birth. Kept losing weight which we now know is due to pancreatic insufficiency. We were told at the time that it was milk intolerance, it wasn't, food just passed through her as she needed pancreatic enzymes to absorb nutrients from food. Hope this is not the case for your DS but chest problems coupled with failure to thrive are typical CF symptoms. I wish your DS well.

Your DH is wrong. Very wrong. You are not overreacting. Just take your DC for medical care when you want to based on your instinct.

Yep OP - I have to second that...You are not overreacting at all.

I don't want to scaremonger but the combination of 'going blue' and losing weight/failure to thrive is one that no medic would ignore. Trust your instincts.

Sorry for the delay my phone just wouldn't let me log in yday.

Dh thinks I over react and worry about things that don't need to b worried about I am a worrier but I'd rather be safe than sorry with my children.

I don't think it's cf my sister went to school with someone that had that and she spent more time in hospital than out of it and was v v poorly my ds2 is def asthmatic as he has triggers and so far they're the same as mine. Tho on reading the symptoms I can c y u thought it with the lack of weight gain. I'm crossing everything that he gains a bit more now that he's not having milk gp said it's v encouraging that his poos have firmed up as his food is spending longer in his gut now.

I can't seem to find anything on the flu vaccination being a nasal spray tho does anyone have any experience of this?

Ds2 seems to have come down with a cold today so could explain y he's been struggling this week hopefully it passes quickly

I am sure I heard something about all 2 and 3 year olds being offered a flu 'jab' in the form of a nasal spray this year so perhaps that is what they are going to use?

Mummy2, like misslivvy my first thought was has your ds been tested for CF. Having reread all the thread again though, it may well be that asthma and dairy intolerance are the correct diagnoses.

However, I just wanted to say that CF does not automatically mean a lifetime of poor health and hospital admissions. My DD is 6.5 now and has CF (and a severe allergy to dairy, obviously unrelated) but is one of the healthiest children I know. She's not had a day off sick this school year and last year in reception had two days off for a sick bug. She did have to have 2 weeks in hospital for IV antibiotics but they were the first and only course so far.

Yes, some children with CF are very poorly but these days the treatment is so much better that they are generally healthier.

I'm not trying to suggest that your son has CF, just wanted to give a better picture of the condition