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General health

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Original poster

Lurker needs quite urgent salbutamol help

12 replies

zingiberis · 02/01/2006 11:52

Hi, I usually lurk but don't post...Need some help from people with asthma/whose kids have asthma.

My 2 yo son has had a few viral coldy things, and lately they've been going to his chest, so much so that he's been in hospital once with what seemed to be an asthma attack to me but I have no idea - they said it was a reaction to a virus.

Anyway, same thing happened today - v hard for him to breathe - so we gave him some salbutamol as advised by the hospital. It's quite traumatic giving it to a 2 yo anyway but within a few minutes he got quite distressed and went very quiet. A few minutes more and he has fallen asleep on the sofa - he asked to go to sleep, v unusual! Breathing now much much better and we're with him but can't find anything on the web to suggest that this is a normal reaction.

Can anyone help? We're not worried - he's doing ok - but quite concerned at the strength of his need to sleep at this odd time.

OP posts:

Beccles · 02/01/2006 11:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

NotQuiteCockney · 02/01/2006 12:01

I'd assume he had a rough night, and is making up for it now. Has he had salbutamol before? Did this happen last time?

I'd go to the GP/hospital again about all this. He might be asthmatic? I am, and I need my puffer a lot more when I have a cold.

Original poster

zingiberis · 02/01/2006 12:04

He is snoring away beside me, breathing MUCH better.
I am definitely taking him to the gp this week.
It was just the speed with which he wanted to sleep. Perhaps it was all a bit too much for him? Also he has a bit of tachycardia (I know this is a side effect) and I wondered if that had scared him?

OP posts:

joanna4 · 02/01/2006 12:06

Did you know strong coffee can open up the airways quite considerably if you find yourself in situation with no inhaler.My ds is asthmatic he gets quite jittery with sal.at times

drosophila · 02/01/2006 12:09

You can give extra doses of salbutaol more than what is recommended if you suspect an attack. i have been known to give 10 puffs at once to get breathing under control. It is similar to the dosage you get in a nebulizer.

While he is asleep count his breaths per min as this is an indicator on how serious his attack is (if it is an attack). You can then give this info to NHS direct who will be able to advise.

My DS's asthma is only triggered by viral infections and I never know if it is a bad cough or an asthma attack. I always take him to Doc for then to listen to his chest which is the only way to know for sure

drosophila · 02/01/2006 12:12

Asthma help This tell you about counting breaths.

Original poster

zingiberis · 02/01/2006 12:17

Interesting about the caffeine - dread tot hink what sturdy toddler plus coffee would equal...!

Drosophila, what indeed is the difference? Because he has only got this in conjunction with viral thingies, but then he has always from birth had a bit of a 'loose chest' is that's the term (and I'm sure it's not). I mean has always had phlegminess to some degree.

OP posts:

Original poster

zingiberis · 02/01/2006 12:18

His breathing is totally normal now, as he sleeps. A bit coldy but nothing like before where he was struggling.

OP posts:

drosophila · 02/01/2006 17:56

I have been told that if the salbutamol relieves the cough then it is asthma. I have found this to be incorrect as once he had what turned out to be a throt infection yet the Salbutamol seemed to work.

It always seems that the doc decided after listening to his chest what course of action to take.

Sparks · 02/01/2006 18:32

My dd has recently been diagnosed with asthma, also triggered by viral infections. The gp said to me that asthma can really only be diagnosed by looking at the patient's history. The first time we took her in with a wheeze, he said that she might have asthma, but he couldn't be sure and the diagnosis he wrote down was virus-induced wheeze.

As NQC says, it might only be a coincidence that he fell asleep right after having the salbutamol. But even so, if I were in your place, I would take him back to the GP.

singersgirl · 02/01/2006 20:18

Hi, I think the difference between 'viral induced-wheeze' and 'asthma' is just the difference between a possibly one-off attack and a 'condition' IFYKWIM. In the UK, doctors were unwilling to diagnose my then 16 month old with asthma and said they wouldn't diagnose till (I think) 3 or 4; when we returned to Singapore, where we were living, the paediatrician immediately said "It's asthma." They treat it the same way anyway, but if your son is getting frequent wheezy attacks with viruses you should ask your GP about a regular inhaled steroid, to reduce their severity. Now my son is 4 he is considered asthmatic, but it is 'virus-induced asthma'!
Often when their breathing eases they will be able to sleep - an attack can leave them feeling quite panicky. Both my boys get tachycardic and somewhat hyper after large doses of salbutamol.

dolally · 02/01/2006 20:30

yes. definately agree the if your ds has been exhausted by the effort needed to breathe the relief given by sal will allow him to relax and therefore sleep. I remember it happening to my dd when she was around 4 and had been wheezing all night. At the doc's surgery they gave her cold steam and as soon as it started to work she drifted off. Poor lamb. (she also was wheezy when young but nobody ever got round to diagnosing asthma til she was 7).

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