Asthma scares me so so much

[Flossie44]

So I have 3 children. My eldest is fine but my other 2 have pretty severe asthma, both requiring consultant care. The youngest has had 8 years of continuous maintenance steroids to maintain her breathing. My middle child has always been fairly maintained and ‘ok’, but the last year has gone downhill dramatically. Has needed 4 courses of steroids in 8 weeks.

This weekend has been hell. They’ve both got chest infections. It’s been a nightmare!! Both so asthmatic, needing loads of meds.

I’m just so bloody scared. I know of children dying of asthma. My children are considered severe. The youngest having spent a lot of time in HDU. However it’s my middle child that’s scaring me.

I don’t feel in control. I’m scared one of them will die. I can’t get this out of my head. They get so ill.

Anyone else feel this, or have to deal with this kind of parenting??

I have no advice but didn't want to read and run. I'm so sorry you are dealing with this, it must be so hard.
My DS suffered from viral wheezes with every cold from about 18 months to 3.5. He was hospitalised for each one so we were in hospital a lot. It was horrible, such a scary time. He seems to have grown out of it (touch wood) although still needs an inhaler when he gets a really bad cold.
I hope your two get better from their chest infections soon.

yes people die of Astham but people also live long fulfilling lives with it.

alwayscared I’m glad your son has grown out of it. Yes hospital is a scary place. We’ve spent most of my dd2’s life there sadly. Thank you for your kind wishes.

june2007 I appreciate people live fulfilling lives with asthma. Look at Paula Radcliffe for one! My dh and I both have it. Ours are of the annoying level, not the critical level thankfully. My dd’s are of the critical level. We know of a friend who lost a close one through asthma so it’s all the more real for us currently I think. I hate seeing them struggle to breath, it makes me feel physically sick.

I understand completely. My ds12 has severe asthma. He's on montelukast at night, steroids and azithromycin every other day. He has a chest infection right now and is on antibiotics and more steroids. What inhalers are they taking? Have they had chest xrays and lung function tests?

That sounds so tough OP. Asthma severity varies hugely, but everyone knows an asthmatic so it's easy for people to minimise, and not that you look for sympathy every day of your life, but they probably don't realise the stress this is causing you and realise your fears on morbidity.

Your children have the best chance, they are under consultant care, they have you, who is pushing to control this. The people where it's concerning is when asthma is minimised and not attempted to be controlled, which is definitely not the case here. I know every case is different, but it does tend to reduce in severity from childhood to adulthood (my Dad spent half his boarding school childhood in the sanatorium from asthma) so you can be hopeful that the condition will improve, rather than deteriorate.

I feel for you though, it must be so tough.

Bovneydazzlers you’re absolutely right. People do tend to minimise it and normalise asthma. They think a blue inhaler will do the trick. I see people walking in the streets puffing on one and carrying on. Maybe this is the image a lot of people have. They don’t see the depth of others struggling behind the scenes. I think there should be more publicity and awareness on the condition. It’s a massive umbrella.
Thank you for your kindness. Lovely to hear your dad improved.

VeganVeganVegan. Sorry to hear your ds has severe asthma. It is indeed horrid. My eldest dd is on montelukast. Fexofenodene, other anti hysts, 3 inhalers. She’s about to start omalizumab injections hopefully to try and calm things. She’s having too many steroid tablets on top!!
Dd2 has daily nebulisers several times a day. Plus all the above meds and more including azithromycin. She had maintenance daily steroids for 8yrs solid which affected her endocrine system adding to her health issues.
It’s a complex situation. One I hate. We just want normality. We do everything we can to minimalise episodes. Yes they have regular lung functions as both see consultants and have community nurses. It’s just rubbish!!