Steriod inhaler for treatment of bronchitis?

[Ash80]

My 18 month ds was diagnosed with bronchitis last week, and the doctor prescribed him ' Ventolin and Flixotide inhalers'. I have looked up the treatment of bronchitis and these drugs only seem to be used in the treatment of asthma
I am not sure what to do, i am tempted to stop the treatment, as i don't want to uneccessarily medicate my ds with steriods!

Hi Ash80

If you weren't told the reasons for the prescriptions, either go back to the doctor or phone and ask what they are expecting to achieve/what the meds are for, and how long you should take them / when to go back and see doctor again. In a little one of 18 months, they should be reviewed fairly quickly to ensure the meds are doing what they expected, and to decide when to reduce or stop them.

In the treatment of asthma:

The steroid inhaler is used to dampen down inflammation in the lungs, which should then also reducing coughing etc. It is a preventer - needs time to build up in the ysstem to become effective (usually a number of days).

The ventolin is a reliver inhaler, used for immediate, short lasting effect - works well for shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing.

Hope this helps.

Kat

They are used to help narrowing in the lungs no matter how it is caused

Why are you worried? I don't understand why people are so scared/dislike inhalers. Would you question the use of antibiotics for an infection or insulin for diabetes??

They will help your son at this time

If it wasn't for medicating my son with steroids when he got his first chest problems, he'd be dead (long before true asthma) and there are 5 of us in this family that need regular steroids

My DS 1 suffered servely with bronciolitis which is often used as a catch all term for respitory troubles, as ashma can not really be diagnosed until later.

We use the ventoline now if he has an issue with beething and we tried the steriod inhauler for 3 months but found it did not make a differnce for us.

Viral Weeze tends not ro respond well to inhauled steriods, but does to oral ones.

If ypou are concerned I would talk to your GP they do not tend to over medicate children if they can get away with it.

thank you for your replies.I will contact the GP for a further explanation

Ash, please do not stop using them until you have spoken to the GP

Hope this helps. the ventolin will open up the airways making it easier for him to breathe, the flixotide will help to keep the airways open to prevent them from narrowing and causing difficulty in breathing. the ventolin should be taken first then flixotide. Dont wory about the steroid as it is a very low dose and very little is absorbed systemically. go back to the dr if he doesnt improve or gets worse. even so I would take him back in 2 weeks for check up.

Good luch giving them if hes anything like my ds he'll just about smell them!

From what I have learnt with my own DS, and good old interweb searching, along with my doctor's input, the bronchodilator (ventolin) is useful for opening the airways, it is to relieve the symptoms, but is not a 'cure'. Bronchitis in it's acute stage is caused by a virus, and so all one can do is relieve the symptoms. It usually clears itself up/is self limiting.

The steroid inhaler is usually only be prescribed or used for chronic, ongoing bronchitis where all other treatment has been unsuccessful. Google bronchitis + children + steroid inhaler or + treatment.

My DS was prescribed these same medications @ 9mths for what my original doc said was 'a wheeze' possibly asthma, after ongoing bronchitis, I, like you refused to give steroids of ANY dose without a second opinion and further independent research. Subsequent tests revealed the wheeze and cough was due to a combination of food intolerances. A couple of months with no wheat, potato, MSG and sodium nitrate, and he has never looked back.

I personally never commenced with the steroid inhaher, however did use the ventolin for several days over the worst of the coughing. I have since found a humidifier and lots of drinks to be just as effective as the ventolin. I do not continue to medicate my child when I am unsure of the necessity of that medication, just because a doctor said so unless I know that I don't have any alternatives, and the medication is essential.

Get googling!!! And good luck.

Also, it mentions here that Flixotide is not licensed for children under four. It may pay to check if this still applies.