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Original poster

Asthma support thread

158 replies

Sirzy · 10/02/2015 11:25

Just gone to bump the old one and noticed it was nearly full so time for a new one.

Thread for anyone who is dealing with an asthmatic (or possibly asthmatic) child who wants hand holding, advice or just somewhere to vent!

All welcome.

DS has just been diagnosed with his third chest infection since October. Thankfully he is back at his consultant in two weeks!

OP posts:
romanrainsalot · 05/12/2015 22:05

He's improved hopefully.

Have seemed to have a bit of "roid rage" last two days. Anyone else DCs had that on steroids?

Misty9 · 07/12/2015 14:06

Hi, I've not posted on here for a while but ds, now 4, is suffering with the cold season upon us. He's got a bad cough and seems to be struggling to breathe, so got him to gp this morning and she listened to his chest and said no wheeze and just use blue inhaler at night. Thing is, he's breathing really unevenly, sort of holding his breath and them blowing out through his mouth iykwim, and ribs are sucking in. But we've already seen a doc so what can I do? He's drinking and eating, and isn't that lethargic which is making him more breathless! Have pinned him to the sofa to watch Xmas films, but when do I need to worry? The doc was so dismissive, I felt like an over anxious mother :( it didn't help that he'd just had calpol and was hyper....

Misty9 · 07/12/2015 18:58

Ended up at hospital but usual rigmarole and set home with instructions on how to use the inhaler more effectively. I was holding for 4 breaths and not 5 as written in the guidelines apparently Hmm
Also, ds has an uncanny knack of appearing miraculously better when faced with a doctor. I was probably ever so slightly coming across as arsey because we just feel helpless with this bloody wheezing.

Now listening to him sounding like darth vader and pausing between breaths whilst in bed. Puffs doing nothing.. long night ahead I think...

gravityandcatflap · 14/12/2015 19:03

I have lurked on the thread for a while, but only now posting, as hope you can offer some words of wisdom!
My DS has just been prescribed prednisolone, not for the first time, but the first time where he hasn't been in hospital (we've had a number of A&E and ambulance trips in the past). So I'm wondering, how quickly do steroids take effect? (also got Anti-biotics and continued 10 puffs of Ventolin 4 hourly) The GP said to watch and if he gets worse, then go to A&E, but tbh I thought he looked pretty bad when GP saw him - ribs sucking in etc
All advice welcomed...and hope the fact this thread has been quiet for a week means that all your DCs are healthy!

Original poster
Sirzy · 14/12/2015 19:05

Nomally takes around 6 hours for it to kick in for Ds

OP posts:
gravityandcatflap · 14/12/2015 19:08

Thanks Sirzy, will keep fingers crossed for a good night then

Misty9 · 14/12/2015 19:50

We ended up with steroids and antibiotics for ds - and the former started working about 4-6 hours after first dose I think this time. On the positive, hopefully we've got this out of the way before Xmas!

gravityandcatflap · 14/12/2015 20:01

That's good Misty, hope it's all healthiness for you from now on then, through the Christmas period!
slower breathing coming from upstairs here now and temp is down slightly, so fingers crossed!

Original poster
Sirzy · 22/12/2015 17:18

Another chest infection. Hoping multidosing ventolin will keep him off steroids

OP posts:
PeppaIsACowbag · 30/12/2015 00:18

How's he doing Sirzy? DD was given open access to the children's ward at her consultant appointment, sat with her now her night time cough is ranking up again, hope we don't end up using it.

Original poster
Sirzy · 30/12/2015 07:13

He ended up in a and e on Chrismtas day. The steroids seem to have helped thankfully.

Only a week until he is at the consultant thankfully.

Hope your Dd is ok

OP posts:
starburst1979 · 31/12/2015 22:21

Hi all, just looking for some advice. DS 11 has had an asthmatic flare up over the last few days, increase in attacks etc. He takes seratide 2 x daily along with his blue inhaler. We also started him on oral steroids yesterday (he has them prescribed for when he needs them). Between attacks he seems fine, a bit sore from coughing but not really unwell.

The attacks seem a bit more ferocious than normal of that makes sense. He's had 2 bad ones tonight, brought under control quickly with ventolin.

he's had with asthma all of his life, but this is the first time that 2 days into the steroids that there has been no improvement. Would I be wrong to nip him to a+e for a quick checkup or shall I give them another day? Thank you.

Original poster
Sirzy · 31/12/2015 22:23

If your worried get him checked.

OP posts:
starburst1979 · 31/12/2015 22:34

I think I'm going to nip him down, I always feel like such a fraud as he's fine between attack. Better safe than sorry. Thank you

spiggidydodah · 31/12/2015 23:01

Just saw this thread pop up in active convos and thought I'd placemark for future reference.

I've got ds1 (nearly 9) who has a fairly regular wheeze but not as bad as dd (7) who is fine day to day but at the slightest hint of a cold will develop the most spectacular wheeze that ends us up in hospital for a couple of days. Our last trip was in September when she went from a slightly drippy nose but no wheeze to 999 in 4 hours. I joked today that we've not had our traditional bank holiday a&e trip then came home from work to a wheezing child so will be doing middle of the night ventolin to keep on top of it. A&E can now fill in our details from memory...

Stardust, hope you get seen quickly and the steroids start to do the trick soon. Here's to a wheeze free 2016!

Original poster
Sirzy · 01/01/2016 06:36

starbust hope he is ok now

spiggy hope you made it through the night. Is she on a preventer inahler?

OP posts:
spiggidydodah · 01/01/2016 08:27

She's still rattly but not deteriorating. We have to keep up the ventolin as she gets worse so quickly. She's now on a high dose of clenil. The GP put her on the lowest dose initially which the hospital were a bit scathing about when she ended up there on nebulisers again and on yet another dose of pred. The higher dose has seen an improvement. Previously we'd be at a&e every 6 weeks or so.

She's got a consultant appointment in a couple of weeks. Last time he lost her notes, got completely confused and thought she'd been referred because of her peanut allergy (she sees a specialist in another hospital for that). Hoping for a slightly better visit this time.

Starburst, hope ds is better now.

Original poster
Sirzy · 26/02/2016 14:32

How is everyone doing?

Ds has his bronchoscopy which was really useful but somehow during his 2 weeks of IV antibiotics developed a serious chest infection which also triggered his asthma and so ended up in hospital for a week! Slowly getting there now and added atrovent to his ever growing list of medicine

OP posts:
Wisetale · 01/03/2016 21:49

Dear mums
My daughter suffered from athama for years. I managed to find an alternative cure. She is now Asthama free -usually triggered by food intolerance and cold cough related. Liquorice Root. Buy 2 pkts of L.R from Holland and Barrett 100g pkts or (mulati) from Indian grocery shop.

Break the roots into a saucepan and pour 1litre of water in. Simmer with lid on for 35 mins until colour of tea. Let cool and pour into an empty bottle and store in the fridge. Take 20ml twice a day for age 12 above for first week. Not sure of dose for under 12 but perhaps 10ml. Reduce dose to 5-10ml in second week. Wheezing will not occur. Dose can go down to just 5ml once a day if wheezing under full control. It is amazing. Other tip. She once had an attack before I knew about Liquorice root. I gave her a black hot coffee. Almost stopped the wheeze and didn't need to rush to A&E. Not a cure but good tip. She had Asthama from aged 22 months. She's now 25 and well. Smile

Bizzledizzle · 14/03/2016 20:38

Hi all,
DD (2) has officially been diagnosed today, not quite sure how I'm feeling about it. Little bit sad but also relieved that I've been taken seriously and that I wasn't over reacting about the cough she had since Xmas.
Anyway she's been on the brown inhaler (elephant) 1 puff twice a day for about 6 weeks now and has the blue for emergencies (luckily haven't had to use it yet)
Hope all your littlies are doing ok. I'm hoping that the promise of warmer weather will help

Original poster
Sirzy · 15/03/2016 15:35

Hi bizzle, glad the inhaler is helping!

OP posts:
PeppaIsACowbag · 07/04/2016 17:36

Hi, how are all your dc's doing? Hope all is well.

Dd has been referred to have grommets fitted soon and I'm a little concerned about the general anaesthetic, because of her asthma and also because she has never had one before. Has anyone got any experience of asthma and anaesthetic? We're your dc ok did they take any extra measures at the hospital etc? Thanks Smile

Original poster
Sirzy · 07/04/2016 19:16

Ds has had 5 GAs, was given extra ventolin before each and was twice given a dose of steroids in theatre but other than that he was fine

Hope it goes well

OP posts:
PeppaIsACowbag · 07/04/2016 21:27

Thanks Sirzy that's reassuring. How is your DS doing?

PeppaIsACowbag · 16/11/2016 22:33

Hi all how is everyone doing? Asthma season has started here Sad. Dd has a chest infection, out of hours sent her straight to the children's ward last night. Struggling to get her sats above 95. Seems a bit brighter in herself today though.

Hope everyone is well.