wheezing 10mo

[captaincake]

Can anyone talk to me about having a wheezing baby? DS has had a couple of chest infections but doesn't at the moment and hasn't for a week. The DR said this morning he can still hear him wheezing. He has a ventolin inhaler but I've been told just to use it if I can hear him wheezing or he's struggling to breathe so I'm not using it at the moment as he seems not to be struggling to breathe but has a horrid gurgly/wet/rattly sounding cough. I wonder if it might help that but don't want to overuse it. I am more a little anxious about how likely it is this is going to become asthma? At the moment they have said due to his age it's a 'viral wheeze' but I don't understand how it can be different purely on age? He does have multiple allergies/intolerances and eczema which they've said puts him more at risk.

They are dubious to label it as asthma in under 5s as so many children have viral wheeze which they grow out of young. You will generally only get an asthma diagnosis if they have a lot of constant problems.

That doesn't mean they shouldn't treat in the same way though if symptoms suggest it is needed.

Coughing can still be a symptom of struggling so give ventolin if needed. If that isn't helping then don't hesitate to get him checked over by OOH/a and e.

Thanks for your response. I really hope he grows out of it!

It's difficult because he's always had a consistent cough that I've put down to reflux and he can't tell me. He almost always sounds like he's panting from exercise just by sitting down playing. I can't hear the wheeze at the moment the dr said he heard it when he was listening to his chest. Maybe I should try using the ventolin when he's coughing a lot and see if it helps.

If exercise is making him pant I would film it and show your doctor. May be that he needs a preventer inhaler even if just for a year or so

Thank you so much for the suggestion Sirzy. I filmed him and showed the DR. She said it was really helpful and thinks he has asthma. He's been prescribed a brown preventer inhaler which we started today. She said to give it 3-4 weeks and go back. If the inhaler has made a difference in that time and by then he'll be over 1 she will diagnose asthma. I'm upset about it obviously but feeling hopeful that this might help his breathlessness, wheezing, rattly chest and constant cough which sets off his reflux.