Wheeze and blue inhaler question

[AppleTrayBake]

DS is just 3.

A month ago I took him to hospital because he was very wheezy and struggling with his breathing. He was diagnosed with a viral wheeze and prescribed the blue preventer inhaler.

He's had a bit of a cough/ cold since yesterday and a bad night up coughing. Very wheezy this morning so gave two puffs, lasted 3 hours until he's needed another 2 puffs.

This is all very new to me and I'm not sure how long we go on giving the blue inhaler before we get medical help?

Doctor said after 10 puffs to seek medical attention, but is that in one go? Or over a certain time period?

Any advice or reassurance would've great.

get him seen now.
needing the inhaler so frequent is not a good thing (but good that you have it and use it).

don't fuck about with lungs.

I agree, you need some more advice to manage this at the least. Worse case is the inhaler isn't getting on top of his wheeze and he needs more intervention. Either way it's the right thing to ask for help now

He may need to the brown inhaler aswell my boy only had the blue one then had to get the brown one due to the same thing

The blue inhaler isn't usually a preventative inhaler.

The ten puffs thing is all close together. There is good info on the asthma uk website. www.asthma.org.uk/advice/child/asthma-attacks/

They also have a helpline but it's only open during the week.

Given this is quite new to you and he's not well I'd take him in to be checked over.

The blue inhaler is a reliever not a preventer

It is meant to have short term effect. If it is not controlling the wheeze after 10 puffs you need to get him seen urgently

Get him seen. They should be able to go 4 hours between doses and 10 puffs shouldn't be a regular thing but as an emergency treatment

My ds has needed blue inhaler since he was about 2 now almost 4, he has allergies, gets wheezy when he has colds etc
Like you at first I was confused as to how many puffs to do at once and how frequently, advise we was given by hospital is that when his really wheezy was to give 10 puffs every 4 hours using the air chamber and gradually ween down as days go on. If they are needing more then 10 puffs sooner then 4 hours to seek medical medical help. Obviously that’s my own personal experience but if in doubt defo go to a&e or seek professional medical advise.

Ask for a written asthma plan x

Blue Is a reliever, brown is preventative as it is taken regularly.

The 10 puffs is in a 24 hour period usually. 2 puffs in any one dose, so 5 doses a day.

If he's needing it regularly then id get him seen now. If he does need the brown one regularly then the sooner the better.

Hope he's feeling much better soon :)

I meant reliever inhaler, sorry. He also has allergies, which is adding to my worry.

I'm going to get him checked over, can't do any harm.

Thanks all.

As others have said get him checked either by out of hrs or A&E. The 10 puffs is one after the other and is fine to give once in a while but you do need to get him checked especially if this is a new thing for him as he may need some pred.

If they think he needs more that 10 every 4 hrs or his SATs are low you will usually be admitted.

I had 2 very wheezy toddlers that were in and out of hospital at that age, one outgrew it at 4 or 5 the other has gone on to be diagnosed with Astma.

My daughter had exactly this..... diagnosed with a viral wheeze at 15 months old. We called 111 when she had her first episode and had to take her into a local ooh. She was very distressed and the doc said he could admit her and give her ventolin with a nebuliser or we could take her home with ventolin and a infant spacer.

We took her home and managed it at home.

She used to get it every time she got a cold and I had ventolin on a repeat script from the gp. I have always managed it from home and have had a few very stressful nights.

My gp said they would treat her in hospital if I felt I couldnt cope at home...... however a viral wheeze isnt the same as an asthma diagnosis and as I understand it doesnt affect the same part of the airway.

Her prescription was for up to 10 puffs as and when required...... it is worth noting that 10 puffs via a spacer does not give the same dosage as 10 puffs directly as much gets lost.

She is now 4 and a half and still gets the occasional bout but they are much less severe.

I used trial and error with regarf to how much to give her......... on average during a bout she would have ventolin every hour (sometimes every half) and around four puffs each time. And her episodes usually passed within 24 hours.

Obviously always seek medical advice if you are worried...... I went to the gp a few times to review how I was dealing with each episode.

Don't worry too much about overdosing on blue inhaler,if they get given nebs it's an exponential amount compared to the puffer. Start with 2 puffs and up if no effect. If you are needing to give as many as 10 puffs in one go to see any effect though, then you definitely need to get them seen pronto. (All three of mine have been in and out of hospital with asthma for the past 10 years).