Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

Stressing about toddler wheeze

19 replies

10FingersOnTheFender · 02/12/2017 11:44

I posted a thread the other day about my toddler (DS, almost 3) developing fever and wheeze shortly after flu vaccine. Anyway, we'll never know whether this was triggered by flu vaccine or not.

Either way, the mild fever (38 - 38.5) started on Tuesday evening. He began to wheeze as well. He's never wheezed before. The fever's gone but the wheeze hasn't. It sort of comes and goes. It's worse in the morning, especially when he's just got up. But it's still there now (for example).

I'm stressing that he's developing asthma. If it was just a viral wheeze, wouldn't it have gone when the fever went?

How common is it for young children to have a viral wheeze last a week and for it not to be a sign that the child will have asthma?

OP posts:

RiseToday · 02/12/2017 11:51

Mine has a reactive airway so always gets a wheeze with a cold/cough/chest infection - which sadly he gets a lot of at the moment. We always have a supply of steroids and his inhaler so we can try and manage him at home - he's been admitted to hospital three times with the wheeze.

I'm pretty sure they don't diagnose asthma until they're over 5. How many breaths is he taking per minute? Is he sucking in at the ribs and at the top of his throat? Does it look like he's struggling to breathe? Does he have a crackling chest and does he make a noise when he breathes?

Original poster

10FingersOnTheFender · 02/12/2017 13:33

Thanks for your reply. Does your DS have asthma? How old is he? What has your GP said?

It definitely makes a noise when he breathes. Not sure about about crackling though. I think its just a wheeze. And at times it definitely looks like and sounds like he's struggling to breathe. Haven't looked at his chest naked yet though to observe his ribs etc.

OP posts:

RiseToday · 02/12/2017 13:40

He's 2.5 and has been diagnosed with a reactive airway. It is usually accompanied by a cold or chest infection though.

If you're worried then I would call 111 to be on the safe side. How many breaths is he taking per min?

SWtobe · 02/12/2017 15:08

Could it be croup

woosey35 · 02/12/2017 17:52

I would deffo get him seen, if you haven’t already done so. How is he now?? Any wheeze isn’t normal. Check his chest for pulling in....
Let us know

Original poster

10FingersOnTheFender · 02/12/2017 22:06

Thanks all.
I haven't checked the breaths per minute yet. He seems well in himself (well enough, anyway, to go see Paddington at the cinema this afternoon and to be a bit of a cheeky monkey).
I didn't think it was croup because he doesn't really have a cough - only the occasional 'wet' or phlegmy sounding cough.
The wheeze carried on well into the early afternoon today, and when he was sitting on my lap in the cinema, I could feel (but not hear) crackling in his chest.
I expect the wheeze will be back with gusto when he gets up tomorrow morning

OP posts:

Rainbowandraindrops67 · 03/12/2017 06:45

Are you actually giving him inhalers? Because if not you need to! Whatever the cause you need to treat it!
Drs don’t diagnose asthma until 5 nowadays. Viral wheee is common after a virus/cold.

Rainbowandraindrops67 · 03/12/2017 06:46

Please take him to the gp - I assumed you already had when you were posting about the flu vaccine on here

Original poster

10FingersOnTheFender · 03/12/2017 08:44

Good morning.
Yes, sorry I should've said Rainbow - I did take him to the GP on Thursday.
He didn't think it was related to the flu vaccine. And he gave us a Ventolin inhaler.
But DS WILL NOT ALLOW me to put it on his face....we've tried showing it on me, DH, his teddies etc. But he screams blue murder and thrashes if we try to put it on him...I don't know what to do.
The wheezing is back with a vengeance this am.

OP posts:

IwillrunIwillfly · 03/12/2017 10:56

If hes still wheezy you need to give him the ventolin inhaler with a spacer, even though he wont like it. If theres 2 of you get him sat on one of your knees and put one arm around his body holding his arms down and the other on his forehead to hold his head still then the other put the spacer on his face, and give 1 puff followed by counting to 10 then the next puff.

If hes still struggling to breath then worth getting him checked again.

Rainbowandraindrops67 · 03/12/2017 11:08

Sorry but I agree - having two wheezers myself - you just need to hold him down. Crying actually helps the medicine go in better and whilst it’s horrendous they really don’t remember for long and once they realise it’s helping them it gets easier.
He should be having enough inhaler to make the wheeze go completely

Rainbowandraindrops67 · 03/12/2017 11:09

If you can’t get it in to him you need to take him back to the gp or the hospital

tissuesosoft · 03/12/2017 11:10

Have a wheezer DD- 8 hospital admissions since January and the latest was week before last for 6 days as she also developed pneumonia.
It's hard but you'll have to hold him down. If after the ventolin he is still wheezing- take him to A&E!

123bananas · 03/12/2017 11:24

If he needs it then you may have to hold him.

Single person hold for giving inhaler . You can bend your knee and put lower leg over their waist if you need extra holding.

Tfoot75 · 03/12/2017 11:29

Get him seen but honestly it’s not a sign he has asthma! My 4yo had to be nebulised three times and blue lighted once the winter she was 2/3 - it didn’t reoccur and she doesn’t have asthma! That’s why they don’t usually diagnose it in young children.

Rainatnight · 03/12/2017 11:34

We've just been through this with DD (17 months) who HATED the inhaler and had absolute hysterics. I'm usually Softy McSoft from Softville, but we just clamped it on and got it into her. It's too important not to.

If you're worried about the wheeze, you've got to do the treatment they've given you for the wheeze.

FWIW DD's hysterics downgraded to tearful fear after a couple of days, to resigned acceptance a day or so later. In the end she was fine with it.

Sirzy · 03/12/2017 11:34

If you can’t get it in to him you need to take him back to the gp or the hospital

And all they will do is “pin him down” to get the medicine in.

It’s not nice but sometimes getting medication in is non negotiable

Original poster

10FingersOnTheFender · 03/12/2017 20:41

Thanks all.

ok, it sounds like it's fairly normal to have to pin the child down to get them to take the inhaler...I'll have another go.

I've never had any personal experience (e.g. myself or any of my close family/best mates) of breathing problems so it's a bit scary to me.

DH had asthma for the bulk of his adulthood (he's 57 now and not had an attack for some 10 years i.e. before I knew him). So he's just assumed that DS has 'inherited my asthma' which comment hasn't helped my stressing!!

DH is NOT a doctor or in any way medically trained by the way!!!

OP posts:

Rainbowandraindrops67 · 03/12/2017 20:44

Don’t worry - wheeze is ok once you are used to managing it. Pin him down and once you’ve given proper medication you’ll really see the difference and if you don’t (or can’t get it in at all) that’s when you should take them back to the dr.
Many many children grow out of viral wheeze and don’t have asthma. I also assumed mine had inherited my OH’s asthma but one has grown out of it completely and is super healthy and one I’m hoping will do soon.

Flip