Post asthma attack stress

[swearbyit]

My DS (4.5) has had 3 severe attacks in the past 5 weeks, two of which he was in the HDU for. He came out on Saturday after his most recent one after a 3 day stay. I'm finding it really difficult to let him go back to school - I've taken him in for a hour today, once I'd finished work, and its killing me. I work part-time 30 minutes away, and I feel like I'm an emotional wreck. How can I let my DS have his independence back when all I want to do is keep him in my sight?? I don't feel that his asthma is under control at all, and I feel like we are lurching from one disaster to another. Does anyone else feel this way, and what can I do?

Is he under the care of a consultant? What medication is he currently on?

You need to arrange to meet with his class teacher to discuss his asthma management. DS is 4 and in pre-school at the moment and has brittle asthma. Before he started I met the teachers and went through everything. In the box with his inhaler and spacers I have written a list of instructions for when he has an attack, including the early signs, provided them with a list of all his medication and contact numbers for me and 4 other family members aswell as his consultants secretary.

Thanks for your reply, yes, he is now under the care of a consultant, but won't have his first appointment for 2-3 months. I have done a few posters with his photograph, and instructions for what to do in case of an attack with his inhalers, but I just feel that its all out of my control. I'd never really considered myself a control freak before this, but feel like I'm in a constant state of worry. Is this just the come down from the attack, and will I ever be able to relax again?? I must seem like a complete nutter to all of those who have been in my path today

Sorry, you asked about his medication too. He's on salbutamol and the purple inhaler (following last week's attack) and montelukast, which he just started about 3 weeks ago.

Its normal to be worried, when you aren't with them it is not as easy for you to notice the early signs which makes it harder.

Does your son understand enough yet to be able to ask for his inhaler at the first sign of feeling ill? I am 'lucky' it that because DS has always been asthmatic he is good at letting the staff know when he is feeling under the weather so they can step in quickly.

It will get easier, you just need to make sure that you can trust the staff to deal with it and that they are happy. My sons preschool have sought advice from the school nurses too so perhaps you can suggest that?

I think he is beginning to understand, he asked for his inhaler for the first time last week at school apparently. The staff are being great, and are doing their best, but I worry that they might miss the symptoms. This is all fairly new to us, there's no history of asthma in the family, and we're really just finding our way with it. At the moment I feel as though we are living hour by hour. I'll look into funding some staff training on asthma. Does your son have any particular triggers? How do you go about spotting them? At present it appears that DS has an asthmatic reaction to a cold virus, but that's our best guess so far. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

With DS his triggers are - illness, cold weather, humid weather, dust, pet hair and exercise mainly. It is just a process of elimination for most of them he did have allergy testing too which confirmed what we knew about dust and pets.

No advice on how to manage the stress but just to let you know your not alone!
My DS (3.3) has asthma and has had lots of hospital admissions, and it never gets any easier for me.
He has just started with a cold and "the cough" has started this afternoon, I can already feel myself freaking out and putting plans in place for my DD

Agree with Sirzy, his teachers know your asthma plan and you are confident in them

That's a really nice thought about funding an asthma training course for them, that will put your mind at rest

Sorry for the late reply and thanks for your responses. It is good to know that it's not I'm not the only one who feels the stress. Lollipoppi, I hope your son didn't develop a full on attack? So far the week has gone well, fingers crossed for a quiet weekend.