Any asthma/chest experts out there?? Don't know what to do...

[wellieboot]

Hi, hoping there is someone who has been through similar or is knowledgeable about asthma etc....DD(23 months)has been coughing and coughing (through flu, chest infection and viruses) for the last few months. Following a virus last week which set off her cough again she has been prescribed a four day course of prednisolone (oral steroids) and we are going back to doc on Tuesday, doc said that if the prednisolone hasn't worked she will have to go for a chest xray. Anyway, since starting the steroids yesterday I have never seen her look so awful. Really pale face with panda eyes - soooo grouchy - she tripped over her sock earlier and landed on soft carpet and it triggered a 20 min crying fit which then triggered a coughing fit. She had 13.5 hours sleep last night - NEVER normally sleeps that much. Are these the normal side-effect of these drugs?? They don't even seem to be working that much as she still has a cough (although not as bad as before). It's so bad that DH has suggested we pull her off them, what do you think? I am feeling really down about all this constant illness/coughing and want my happy little girl back.

This sounds horrible. I have had these steroids lots (but first course was when I was 11 so no young child exp.) between the illness and the tablets they can make you feel a little wobbly but nothing like this.

They are usually fantastic tablets for getting the asthma under control though, so would be reluctant to take her off them without medical advice. Get an appointment to go back to the doc asap.

If her asthma ever gets worse, don't hesitate to take her to A&E - better safe than sorry with asthma.

first of all, don't stop the steroids abruptly without medical advice

secondly, it doesn't sound like she is improving and you might want to bring that review appt forward if you can

if she gets any worse, take her to A+E

actually, steroids can have behavioural side effects, so any tantrums, change in sleeping patterns etc may be par for the course. You should have been warned about this however. It is not unknown for children to turn into raging monsters!

good luck, and monitor her very closely

My Ds has had these plenty of times he has just finished a 10 day course. He turns into an emotional wreck one minute bouncing off the walls and the next minute crying over silly little things. Don't stop them but if you don't see an improvement tomorrow I would consider taking her to the out of hours.
Does she have an inholor?

Yes she has an inhalor but only since recently. She is on a one month trial of ventolin (2 puffs 4 x a day) and had her review appt in December, but we didn't even get that far as we were back at the docs on Friday. Nothing seems to be working. I was using the inhalor earlier when she was having coughing fits after crying. She is quite distressed this evening, crying every 15 mins and not sleeping. Am waiting for NHS direct to ring me back. Alibobins how old is your DS - does he have asthma?

Ds is 3.11 now and yes he does have asthma but it was a virus that triggered the wheezing and coughing this time.
Is she wheezy at all or breathing fast?
Hope nhs direct ring back soon.

Thanks. Her cough is very wheezy and she cries whenever she coughs, but I haven't noticed her breathing fast. They are ringing back within the hour they said. The dr on Fri said that if the cough was caused by asthma then the steroids should do the trick, so am wondering what the next step will be...

Has she had any antibiotics?
Its horrible when little ones are poorly

No, well not for three weeks anyway! I'm thinking that's what she might need though. I know it is so horrible, just want to get her better asap. Trouble is, she is well for a couple of weeks then it all starts over with the coughing. Dr is talking about asthma - is this what it's like - every minor cold ends in nonstop coughing invariably ending in trip to doctors - or once they know what is going on do they give you stuff to control it well?

Ds is not very well controlled he's got what they call brittle asthma which means he can go from being well to poorly within hours
These last few months he's been really ill with tonsilitis a chest infection sickness and god knows how many more virus
If it is asthma then they will give her more regular meds. Hope you get her sorted.

Oh no, you poor thing and your poor ds I can totally relate to the nonstop illness if thats any consolation. But must be really hard going from fine to v ill so quickly....

Thanks for all your advice, really helped. Still waiting for nhs direct!!

They do like to take their time
Fingers crossed let me know how you get on.

Hi - update: things didn't get any better overnight so we took her to the out of hours doc this morning. He said she has a raging chest infection and gave her antibiotics! Second time this month Fingers crossed they work though. He also said to stop the steriods as they are obviously not working so that is a relief. So hoping she will be back to herself in a couple of days and hoping for a cough-free December (in my dreams!)

glad the infection was diagnosed. My dd aged 6 had what you described a couple of weeeks ago. But was treated htis time with inhalers (brown one) to try and open up the airways more. This was acold/cough form hell, the cough was present each time she breathed, but a dry one.

Sometimes i just wish they'd not be so paranoid about giving them anitbiotics, well esppecially in case where a child has reccurring chest infections anyway. As i have been witness several times to my dd suffering for far longer than required. Difeerent gp's seem to spot different symptoms, and i have on a few occasions been told her chest is clear, only to go back a few days later to be told she has a bad infection. I nkow that ther eis no reason to give antibiotics, until somehting is def established but sometimes i just wish they would.

i have sympathy, it's the worst thing hearing them in such a state.

That is exactly what happened to us - Doc on Fri said that her chest was clear, today a different doc said it had got really bad so surely it must have been there on Friday given that she had a temp then aswell? They do seem to do everything they can before prescribing antib's...if she had been given them on Fri she would be better by today - it is v infuriating.

agree. in spain where my mum lives you can just go in and buy them over the counter. I do realsie they are not good to have for everything, and won't cure a virus, but in little kids, who are obvioulsy in huge distress, why not?

glad there is improvement. i actually boroke donw in tears one night that dd was coughing, you just feel so helpless don't you.

I know, I have done the same. I would love her to get a cold and be able to shake it off herself without it going to her chest - it just makes it so hard, every time she starts sneezing or coughing my heart sinks as I know there is a week of misery ahead. When she is well she is such a happy little thing and full of energy. Added to this, I have got a job interview on Weds for a job doing what I used to do before DD, but I've no idea how I would cope with 4+ days a week in a 'career' type job. I currently work 2 days a week and luckily they are really understanding about time off, swapping days etc - but this new job would be a different story - I just don't see how I would be able to do it as if we carry on like this I would be off one week in four!!

btw, am thinking of trying cranial osteopathy - have you thought about maybe trying it for your dd? It claims to help with things like recurrent chest or ear infections, as well as a ton of other conditions. Worth a go maybe?

Glad to hear you got her sorted.
Ds woke several times in the night coughing it never ends does it

Feels neverending doesn't it. Wishing us both a better night tonight