Asthma? Viral induced wheeze

Purplerain1144 · 2024-12-22T13:53:31+00:00

Hi all, hoping for some advice/guidance. My little one is just over 2 and since her first birthday has had croup 5 times requiring steroids each time. She's also had viral induced wheeze 3x (dec 23, 2 weeks ago and again today) all requiring hospital treatment/steroids. She has a blue inhaler which we were given last December. She has an allergy to milk and egg but we are working up the ladder. I have a history of eczema and asthma and my husband hayfever and eczema. I saw someone at the GP a few months ago to ask for a trial of a preventer inhaler but was told as she was fine that day no. For reference, she coughs everytime she runs/exerts, coughs at night plus these admissions. Does anyone have experience of getting a preventer inhaler? I really don't want to end up in a&e every winter going forwards 😫 thank you!

Ihatelittlefriendsusan · 22/12/2024 13:57

I feel your pain @Purplerain1144.

I have silent asthma as does dd. I knew hse was having attacks from her being 6 months but it took til she was 18 months old for a locum to pick it up and agree with me.

I would ask for an urgent respiratory referral for her.

Unfortunately there is a belief that it can't be diagnosed in kids til they are 4. Which is utter bs but unfortunately seems to be the pattern

newandconfused5 · 22/12/2024 14:05

I have similar with my 2 year old (27 months).
Given a blue inhaler plus all the creams and an antihistamine at just under 1.
Literally two weeks ago have just been given Montelucast granules to try.
Every cough and cold resulted in chest infections and antibiotics so this winter I was keen to get on top of it.
Lots of coughing when running and coughing over night leading to frequent vomiting.

The medication, as it's a steroid, makes him NUTS for 10 minutes after it's given to him. Quite horrible to see but he comes down quite quickly. It has reduced the coughing over night and reduced our blue inhaler use. Unfortunately he has an awful cough at the moment and has started vomiting over night again from coughing. I have my fingers crossed that the new medication will mean he will shift this cold on his own without using antibiotics.. time will tell.
Good luck with your little one. It's horrible having asthma this young.

Original poster

Purplerain1144 · 22/12/2024 14:06

Ihatelittlefriendsusan · 22/12/2024 13:57

I feel your pain @Purplerain1144.

I have silent asthma as does dd. I knew hse was having attacks from her being 6 months but it took til she was 18 months old for a locum to pick it up and agree with me.

I would ask for an urgent respiratory referral for her.

Unfortunately there is a belief that it can't be diagnosed in kids til they are 4. Which is utter bs but unfortunately seems to be the pattern

Thank you for your reply! I think I will go back to the GP in the new year

OP posts:

Original poster

Purplerain1144 · 22/12/2024 14:06

newandconfused5 · 22/12/2024 14:05

I have similar with my 2 year old (27 months).
Given a blue inhaler plus all the creams and an antihistamine at just under 1.
Literally two weeks ago have just been given Montelucast granules to try.
Every cough and cold resulted in chest infections and antibiotics so this winter I was keen to get on top of it.
Lots of coughing when running and coughing over night leading to frequent vomiting.

The medication, as it's a steroid, makes him NUTS for 10 minutes after it's given to him. Quite horrible to see but he comes down quite quickly. It has reduced the coughing over night and reduced our blue inhaler use. Unfortunately he has an awful cough at the moment and has started vomiting over night again from coughing. I have my fingers crossed that the new medication will mean he will shift this cold on his own without using antibiotics.. time will tell.
Good luck with your little one. It's horrible having asthma this young.

Thank you I've not heard of this medication. Do they give this instead of a preventer inhaler? I dread every runny nose she gets cos I know it's only round the corner getting an awful cough!

OP posts:

Wolowl · 22/12/2024 14:13

My 2.5DD has just got a preventer inhaler as well as her reliver. It was a bit of a fight to get the Dr to refer her to the asthma clinic at the hospital but once we were seen there the Dr said she had asthma and we were given inhalers, an allergy test & a chest x-ray on the same day.

She was constantly coughing, getting ill, croup, chest infections. I have asthma and eczema, my husband has eczema so I'm glad they listened. She is doing better, less coughing in general and when she's been ill.

It took more than 5 years for my asthma to be diagnosed so I didn't want to have to go though that with her.

Original poster

Purplerain1144 · 22/12/2024 14:17

Wolowl · 22/12/2024 14:13

My 2.5DD has just got a preventer inhaler as well as her reliver. It was a bit of a fight to get the Dr to refer her to the asthma clinic at the hospital but once we were seen there the Dr said she had asthma and we were given inhalers, an allergy test & a chest x-ray on the same day.

She was constantly coughing, getting ill, croup, chest infections. I have asthma and eczema, my husband has eczema so I'm glad they listened. She is doing better, less coughing in general and when she's been ill.

It took more than 5 years for my asthma to be diagnosed so I didn't want to have to go though that with her.

So glad you have that! Any tips on getting taking seriously? Every dr we saw at the hospital asked about her health history/family history and give that look like 'ah she is one of those' but no one has ever agreed to referrals/preventer

OP posts:

Emmacb82 · 22/12/2024 15:10

I don’t think it’s BS to not diagnose asthma in under 4’s. There are a lot of pre schoolers that suffer with viral induced wheeze which they then grow out of when they get older/stronger. Those who don’t generally then get labelled as asthma. However, I would agree that she needs to be referred to the paeds respiratory team who would probably give her a trial of a preventer. You can ask the GP to refer you. Unfortunately even with a preventer it doesn’t necessarily stop admissions to hospital but it may help. Children at our hospital who have been admitted and given salbutamol are always discharged to the paeds respiratory nurses so there should be something similar at your hospital. Good luck!

newandconfused5 · 22/12/2024 15:11

The granular are instead of the brown inhaler. We still only have a blue inhaler.
I have a review booked in for early January so will discuss further then.

I don't know why they don't take it more seriously in small children. It's such a fight to get what you need.
My point to the dr was I was sick of only having a reactive solution, to give the blue inhaler after the episode. I wanted something to prevent the episodes!
He did listen to be fair.

Original poster

Purplerain1144 · 22/12/2024 15:19

Emmacb82 · 22/12/2024 15:10

I don’t think it’s BS to not diagnose asthma in under 4’s. There are a lot of pre schoolers that suffer with viral induced wheeze which they then grow out of when they get older/stronger. Those who don’t generally then get labelled as asthma. However, I would agree that she needs to be referred to the paeds respiratory team who would probably give her a trial of a preventer. You can ask the GP to refer you. Unfortunately even with a preventer it doesn’t necessarily stop admissions to hospital but it may help. Children at our hospital who have been admitted and given salbutamol are always discharged to the paeds respiratory nurses so there should be something similar at your hospital. Good luck!

I am aware its hard to diagnose and that lots of kids grow out of it but we haven't been referred at all, I asked today when we were discharged and 2 weeks ago. I'll try and speak to the GP again. Just shit timing with Xmas round the corner. Thank you

OP posts:

Wolowl · 22/12/2024 15:31

Purplerain1144 · 22/12/2024 14:17

So glad you have that! Any tips on getting taking seriously? Every dr we saw at the hospital asked about her health history/family history and give that look like 'ah she is one of those' but no one has ever agreed to referrals/preventer

Show quote history

Sorry, I don't really, I just kept pushing, taking her to the Dr's every time she was unwell (which was a lot). I did get a lot of Dr's thinking it was just first time Mum nerves but I wasn't going to let her get ignored and get more ill like I did.

We saw different Dr's each time so I think I just got a sympathetic one in the end. If she ends up growing out of it, then that's great, but we'll see.