If virus comes to our town, would it be sensible or overreacting to put asthmatic DS back on steroid preventer?

[PorridgeAgainAbney]

DS was on steroid preventer from around 18 months until around 5 then we lowered dose to lowest one, came off it over the summer and remained off it when the following winter went ok.

He is 7 now and only takes reliever if he has a cold or if he is out in really cold or really hot weather, probably works out that we feels it's really needed (as opposed to taken 'just in case') around 5-8 times per year.

It popped into my head last night that although his asthma is very manageable now, any cold or virus affects his chest first, often 2 days before the cold starts to even show. In my situation would you consider asking GP if we should put him back on the lowest dose preventer if Coronavirus gets worse/more local to us in the hope that it would offer a bit of 'protection' (I mean in making him a bit more able to fight it off, I know it won't provide immunity)?

did you stop the steroid preventer on doctors advice?

Wel our GP doesn't really give advice, they just ask you what you want to do! He was happy for us to wean DS off it and then monitor how the first winter went as that would be more likely to show up if we needed to start it up again. He was fine so he's not used the preventer for about 2 years.

I'm just not sure if it might be beneficial. Today we were playing a board game and it was so funny and fast-paced that he got totally over-excited and ended up laughing so much that he had a huge coughing fit. So the asthma is still very much there, even though after a few minutes (no inhaler used) he was fine.

I thought that was the recommendation for people with asthma. Sounds sensible to me.

I think that’s the recommendation. Phone your asthma nurse and ask them.

Ah ok. I haven't read any advice about it as I never seem to catch more news than Radio 2 headlines these days! I might give the GP a ring tomorrow to see what they think...I was in two minds until he had the coughing fit earlier then it made me realise just how easy it can be to spark it off (he does have a bit of a cold at the moment).