DS(3) newly diagnosed with asthma, really struggling tonight

[BR44]

He's been having runs of 2-3 days where he coughs a lot and his breathing is laboured, then if seems like whatever's triggering it subsides, then it gets worse again. He's been given a blue inhaler which helps a lot but only when I can get him to relax enough to breath properly.
Tonight he's really struggling. The cough us awful, his breathing bad and he's tired and panicky when I try to get him to use the inhaler. I'm in bed with him now and even though he's half asleep his discomfort and distress are obvious. What else can I do to help him?

Ds was diagnosed when he was about 3yrs.
Your ds should have a brown inhaler given twice a day as a preventer, and I would give him an antihistamine everyday to see if that helps.
It really is not nice to see them like that, ds had to go to the hospital in an ambulance - very scary - but now (he's 7) he is really good. Very little wheezing if at all, and no attacks for quite a while now. Not sure if it's the prevention (I religiously give him the clenil and an antihistamine everyday) or he's grown out of it (if that can happen) but I don't want to take him off he meds to find out!

Thanks for that northernlurker! I felt so bloody useless last night and that's not a nice feeling when your child is struggling and frightened and tired and emotional and just wants you to make them feel better.

Glad to report we got a GP appt this afternoon and now have a brown inhaler to use twice a day in addition to the blue one for immediate relief. I feel we have more tools to manage it now, which is good. No coughing or wheezing at bedtime and not a peep out of him since he went to sleep, so I'n hoping he'll have a more restorative nights sleep. Now, I'd i can just keep my 1yo in bed we'll be sorted...!

Thanks again to you all for your wise words. I find it massively helpful to get done perspective from other parents.

And verystressedmum - brilliant to hear how well the prevention has worked for your DS!

Hi BR44 glad to hear he's much better and getting additional medication to manage it.

You're right it is frightening to see them suffering and to feel so helpless.
It's become second nature now to keep an eye out for DS2, but yes the early days when you're not sure, isn't somewhere I want to go again and always try to help if I see anyone posting similar on here (especially as it always seems to pounce on them at night time when you feel most desolate!)