Asthma Confusion

[Sleeplessmamma]

My little girl has had a persistent cough for over 2 months (with no cold). She mainly coughs during the night, always causing wake ups and on first thing in the morning. I also had asthma as a child. Due to this I took her to doctor and she also suspected asthma. She said she should trial the blue inhaler for 2 weeks, taking it morning and night religiously and in-between if needed. I questioned it and said don't they usually trial with the brown and she shot me down straight away.

Before I go back to my gp, and if anyone on here is repository trained or even just a mamma with asthma experience, is this normal practice. I've checked the asthma guidance and nice guidlines and seems to be that if child has symptoms more than 3 times a week (I.e cough) and night waking (every night for over 2 months) then she should be in brown inhaler? No point trialing the blue if it's not meant to work like the brown one.

Thanks in advance!

Hi. Sorry to hear about your daughter. Did you ever get this resolved? My daughter has been coughing for a similar length of time and I'm not getting anywhere with doctors. They just keep saying it is viral and will pass. At my wits end.

The blue inhalor is a reliever and the brown a preventer as I expect you know. We have only ever been told to use the blue one to relieve symptoms. However after an asthma attack, they will wean them down on the blue inhalor. I can't remember the exact weaning regime but it would last about a week -10 days I think so they'd take the blue inhalor so many times every few hours.
It may be the doctor is trying to see is the inhalor relieves the symptoms so they can work out if it is asthma but I've not experienced this before.
It depends also how old they are because they wouldn't diagnose mine with asthma until they were over a certain age.
My youngest got bronchiolitis at about 2 months old. He was rushed into PICU after being sent home the day before telling us not to worry. he stayed in there about 2 weeks and was seriously ill so if you do get any breathing problems take them in straight away. We've been blue lighted several times also for my daughter with asthma. They have been much better as they've got older and it's well controlled with the brown inhalor.

@Sleeplessmamma Ive just seen this post but saw it’s a few months on now and wondered how your little one is doing now? We’ve just got back from the docs and they have given a brown one for morning and evening and a blue one for only when needed. I’m not convinced my little one has asthma though? She has a mucus type cough, coughs when she first lies down and then again in the mornings. No wheezing and pretty active. I’ve booked a private GP app as I’m just not sure and want another opinion. The doctor we saw today was lovely but it felt a little rushed, in and out 5 mins later and told to speak to the pharmacist for more details on how and when to take the inhalers. I’m just not sure on it…

I think it’s because kids do grow out of it. My daughter hasn’t and I had to do a trial of both and some heavy persuasion to get a brown inhaler. I have asthma so it was blindingly obvious to me.

@Mimiandme well months down the line and after nothing changing we are finally down to get her adenoids and tonsils out. She started pausing in breathing and snoring loads plus cough still there. It's good you've got brown inhaler to trial. They usually do this for 8 weeks. Then they stop it and if it got better on inhaler and symptoms return fairly quick, then looks like asthma. If it didn't do much while on trial (like for my little one) then probably isn't asthma. Also asthma type symptoms can be actually because of adenoids tonsils. If brown inhaler doesn't do anything I'd push for ent referral or even pay private for one if your little one doesn't improve.