asthma in 8 year old

[soanxious]

My DD1 has had asthma since she was about 2 and had Ventolin Inhaler. A few times she has been give a steroid inhaler too.

Since October half term she has been coughing, quite a dry cough, at night time and in the morning. I have taken her to the doctors who says there is no infection, it's not asthma, just a cough.

So, six weeks later she is still coughing. I find that if I put steam in the room it helps a lot but as soon as I turn it off she starts again. Just watched the christmas play and she coughed throughout the whole of it, everytime she breathed in she was wheezing. She is taking her inhaler about 10 times a day but it's not doing anything.

I have booked an appointment with another doctor later.

Is there anything I should be asking for?

do they not check her peakflow? Would help indicate if she is struggling

Do you know, they have never checked that!

I get asthma too and get mine checked every time - that is definitely something to ask!

Thank you.

Do you have an asthma nurse at your surgery? Ours is fabulous and seems to really have a better understanding than the gp.
Also you can ask the doctor about post-nasal drip. if she has asthma she might also have allergies causing that. In that case a regular anti-histamine might help?
Steam wise you can get those big room steamers that take a couple of litres of water. You can plug it in her room over night. Does give an interesting fog effect if over done!!
Other option if its a tickly cough is a couple of squares of dark chocolate. I also read recently that a teaspoon of honey is more effective than cough medicines.

I've been doing the Manuka honey with my 8 year old ds, since I read about it recently, and spookily it has helped! Spoonful at night (before toothbrushing of course!)

Sounds like she needs a preventative inhaler too, the beige one. My son has the beige which we up when he is particulary wheezy. Still using the blue one regularly.

Definitely get her peak flow checked. You can buy them from pharmasists, and do it yourself over a period of several days.

Hi everyone, thanks for your kind replies.

Badkitten - I have had the room steamer going at night, it is like a sauna in there! It does really help though.

GP said she has an ear, throat and chest infection which we have got antibiotics for.

She has also given us a steroid inhaler to take through a Volumatic.

And I am going to book her in for the asthma clinic. She is sitting there now coughing constantly, she has black circles under her eyes and looks absolutely awful

poor kiddo - poor you too Its good that you took her to the doctor. Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in soon. If shes like my dd shes probably exhausted from school stuff as well, she sounds run down