Recording peak flow readings for a teen?

[Walkingandtalking]

My 17 year old has just finished a course of oral steroids after being told she may have asthma.

She has been given a peak flow meter to use and now shes finished to steroids she is supposed to be recording it twice a day.

We found a chart online but her results fall way under what is on the chart even after the steroids?. She also has blue and brown inhalors.

Is it normal for a person to have generally low readings? Should we be recoeding these as her “norm”?

The besy she has blown on it so far is 200 - its been between 150 and 200 each time.

I had a go to check it was actually working becuase it was so different to the chart and i had 450/500.

She does appear to be doing it correctly to me but im not an expert in these things!

She is 17 and 5 foot 5.

Is this likely to be as good as it gets?

That’s very low mine was 150 when I had covid. I’m shorter than her and mine is 400 ish. Worth getting in contact with nurse or GP she may need more mediation to get it up to a decent level. 150 gives hardly any wiggle room for an actual attack when it will be less.

That does sound low I'm afraid. My 6 year old brittle asthmatic is meant to get 200-250 when well. Around 150 & he's in hospital. Does she have a wheeze?

Magic she did have a wheeze which is what we took her to the doctors for the steroids seem to have made her wheeze much better but shes very tired and seems breathless even though her breathing isnt loud anymore!

Her nose has been running alot and she seems to have a cough so im not sure if that is asthma or if she has another cold (she jas had the constantly for months).

She has a chest xray tomorrow morning so if she isnt better by tomorrow i might try and get her to see gp again at the end of the week.

Its really confusing because she has never had any problems like this before. She had covid last year and since then has had constant illness and worsening breathlessness which we were told would go away.

Last week she was breathless just going to the toilet and they finally saw her and told her is was asthma

It's good she's having an X-ray...
I don't know what to advise with a 17 year old, but with a younger child I'd be suggesting she goes to A&E.
There is an uk asthma parents group on FB- lots of knowledgable folk on there might be able to advise better.
In your position I think I'd be calling 111 as 150 peak flow sounds very low for her.

My LO's asthma was well managed until he had covid unfortunately 😔.
Hope she's doing ok.
Does she have a blue inhaler?

Magic - thanks!

She is less breathless than she was she was getting breathless just walking to the toilet but she is able to walk around the house now. Shes gets breathless on stairs but theres no loud wheezing and rattling like there was.

She is sitting in my bed next to me doing her science homework atm!

She is autistic and although generally she communicates very well when it comes to describing how she feels!

Bless her.
Sometimes not having a wheeze is a bad sign unfortunately.
my gut Instinct here is to get medical advice for her tonight. Being breathless & the low peak flow readings would worry me I'm afraid. Not wanting to catastrophise but it tends to get worse overnight if my DC is poorly at this time of eve.

How is she today @Walkingandtalking?

She is the same really as yesterday - she had the xray this morning but we are not sure how long the results will be.

I have sent an e consult message to the doctor asking about the peak flow meter and saying that her readings are around 200. The system says they aim to reply by tomorrow evening so hopefully they will be able to clarify a little!