Clenil for 15 month old DS

[MiniPopsMum2012]

Hi
my 15 month old DS has had a cough for going on three weeks now (following a virus), with a reoccuring wheeze in one lung. He was given Salamol inhaler which worked, but then the wheeze returned at last GP check up this week so GP has prescribed him Clenil two puffs twice a day.

GP told me to use for a week and then stop if better.

I really don't want to give him inhaled steroids so young. :( I've had a google and am really worried that they've just chucked this steroid inhaler at him without properly working out if it's actually asthma (which I'm led to believe the Clenil will help), or a viral bronchitis type think (which after reading I'm led to believe the Clenil won't help?).

My DS was born 10 weeks premature, but no major health issues at birth luckily (6 weeks in NICU), except acute reflux issues. I am really concerned about giving him this inhaler, but the GP doesn' seem bothered.

Any one have experience of giving Clenil in a toddler so young? I guess this is a kind of WWYD? :-/

DS started on clenil when he was about 6 months old. It really was a matter of not having a choice for DS and it is much safer than having trouble with breathing and needing constant courses of oral steroids.

Inhaled steroids are very safe, and it would have to be very high doses to cause any problems for a child. There is no way of diagnosing asthma officially so young and generally they don't like to do so until the child is around 3 (although DS was diagnosed by 12 months) but even if it is just a viral induced wheeze type thing it should help anyway.

Thanks for the replies, that's really helpful and reassuring.

I know I should stay away from Google, it doesn't help in not entirely confident in our GPs and when I question the medication they never seem to give me entirely convincing answers or seem that sure themselves.

I have been on asthma UK, is really useful.

And is it Ok just to give for a week and then stop like the gp says? Is that what you've done? The instructions are scary reading. And says not to just stop.

Thanks again for the info

My understanding (from the consultant DS sees) is that clenil needs about 6 weeks to be at its most effective, but that some change should be seen within a week or 2.

Personally I wouldn't stop without seeing a doctor first. Does your practise have an asthma nurse? if so get an appointment with her as they are generally a lot more clued up.

I didn't know that there were asthma nurses! We have an appointment for Tuesday, feel so relieved I could cry.

He's not too bad at the moment so I think I'll use the green inhaler until we see her, especially since it sounds weird to use for just 1 week then stop.

Thank you all for advice, feel much better

My Ds has been on Clenil since he was 4 months old as he had re curing Pneumonia etc if it wasn't for the steroids I honestly don't think he would of survived .

*Recurring

Yes, BeerTricks, I feel a bit foolish for not asking before but I phoned to check and they do have an asthma nurse, so they've booked me an appointment for next Tuesday.

His breathing is actually ok, even the childminder said it's the best he's been for ages, and I took him to the dr for a burst blood vessel is his eye (he poked himself in it!), and then the dr checked his chest (as they always do) said the slight wheeze (which had gone last week) was back and she was giving him the steroid inhaler.

Seems a bit extreme, which is why I was concerned about giving it to him. We've had several bouts of bronchiolitis and a couple of chest infections, so I know what to look for with his breathing, and do check, but he's really not that bad at the moment.

And especially as the GP said take it for a week and then just stop. that doesn't sound right...

I think I'll give him his blue inhaler as instructed and the wait until I see the asthma nurse on Tuesday, but keep an eye on him and then take him to walk in clinic if he seems to get worse.

Oooh, sorry for the essay, but have been so worried and feel a bit better after reading these replies.

CrazyHamster really sorry your DS has been so poorly, but glad that the Clenil has worked for you.

Crazy - we have said the same about DS although Clenil didn't work for him without his inhalers and other medication I dread to think what state he would be in.

So, we had our appointment with the Asthma nurse today (who turned out to be the normal nurse, with her Asthma hat on).

Since last week cough has cleared up a lot and DS has been absolutely fine, charging around like a rhino, and we've not needed to use the other inhaler at all.

Anyway, she tutted at me for not giving him the Clenil (until I pointed out that if he hadn't poked himself in the eye, he wouldn't have had it anyway), but agreed that he didn't seem like he needed it at the moment as was breathing fine and not coughing etc... His cough has actually got better over the past week.

But, reassured me that I could use the Clenil short term if it got worse, and gave me clearer instructions on how to lower the dose to stop (rather than the GP who said just stop after a week).

She also said that she'd never her of this inhaler causing reflux, which is different from what I've read on forums. She didn't seem particularly more clued up that the GP, just had more time to explain over her cup of tea (IYSWIM)

thanks for all your advice :)