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Mums with asthmatic babies/toddlers advice needed please

7 replies

Charlee · 07/08/2006 19:24

Just got back from Dr's DS has now officially been diagnosed with bad asthma and bronchitus (sp?).

They have been toying with the diagnosis for a while saying he had 'asthma type symptoms' but never actually saying yes he has got it, he was on a low dose ventolin syrup but that makes him as high as a kite, hes also got one mother of all coughs and still has a constant wheeze so we took him back tonight and they have said hes now deffo got it and quite bad apparently.

Im not totally suprised i had it as a kid and recognised the signs in DS, we have been given Ipratropium inhiler with a tiny baby orange spacer and a little mask, which he is to take 3 times a day.

He absolutly hates it, he had one for a month when he was a tiny baby when he got bronchitus but now hes nearly 2 and he struggles and screams and holds his breath like were trying to kill him literally! I feel so bad as we have to physically hold him down and hold his head and arms whilst holding it against his face.

I brought some stickers to make it look a bit nicer and he chose some and stuck them on, it doesnt seem to have made a difference. He doesnt have a favorite teddy or anything otherwise i would let him 'play dr' in hope it would make him take it easier.

Anyway he will be on it for at good few yrs apparently, please tell me it will get easier and e will get used to it! Does anyone have any tips for making it nicer for him or have any idea when he will start getting used to it?

OP posts:
muma3 · 07/08/2006 19:29

i had to try to explain to dd2 that she needs it and her having a scary trip to hospital whilst on hols showed her that if she didnt then she would have to go to hosp again . just explain that it makes him beeter and get him strong enough to play with a new football or something??

Charlee · 07/08/2006 19:30

I have tried telling him it will make his cough go away and make him big and strong but hes only 22 months im not sure he understands me!

OP posts:
brimfull · 07/08/2006 19:32

my ds was exactly the same charlee.He was about 2 when he got the inhaler and we had to hold him down for a while.Eventually he became calmer .I used bribes ,sweets, and called it his tractor baler inhaler,because he loved tractors at the time.It did get easier and he now takes it with no problems.
Btw when he was seriously struggling for breath he took it with no struggle,seemed to know he desperately needed it.It's the same when he's in hospital having O2 pr nebulizer.he's as good as gold.
Don't worry it'll get easier,hope he feels better soon.

SenoraPostrophe · 07/08/2006 19:35

ds used to hate his, but with the help of dd we managed to make it into a game - if you make trumpet noises when the mask is on it sounds funny. and they take it in turns to have a go (dd without the ventolin obviously).

If you don't have another child, could you make something that looks like a spacer for yourself instead? then sing songs etc with it.

sympathy on it all btw. it's not nice having a boy who can't breathe. dh is badly asthmatic too so it was no surprise to us, but he does this back slapping/cough thing with ds that he learned in hospital from a specialist once and that is actually way more effective than the ventolin - do you know the thing i mean? I wouldn't like to try and describe it properly.

Charlee · 07/08/2006 19:38

No i havent learnt that one Tamba when i had it as a kid it wasnt that bad and i got a plain old blue inhaler!

OP posts:
misdee · 07/08/2006 19:40

how old is he, and can i send him a bear? a special bear who needs a 'haler, like him?

SenoraPostrophe · 07/08/2006 19:42

oh yes, a bear that needs a haler might work. also teach him the trumpet noises though.

who is tamba?

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