Toddler always poorly - possibly asthma?

[roselemonade23]

Hello, posting this on here for advice. Does it get easier?

Dd (2) is a poppet, sunny character and charms everyone she meets. But she gets very wheezy when ill, and DH or me constantly are taking time off work.

For context, Dd was born 36+5 then in PICU with RSV for 4 weeks, in a coma for 10 days, then had collapsed lung / pneumonia later that year. She recovered well and met all her milestones, just a scary start for everyone. Every bug she catches she gets very ill, often in GP or A&E. She's a delight to all the doctors but it can be terrifying.

Two questions I have

1/ With young DC with suspected asthma (DD has brown and blue inhaler, but it's too young for it to officially be called that). Does it get easier with respiratory viruses?

2/ Anyone else had a baby early, then been in PICU. What impact did it have on you? Me and DH used to be bezzies, but all the stress and time off work plays havoc with our marriage. Any advice?

Thank you 💐

I had similar issues when I was a child (not the ones around birth) but by 7/8 had pneumonia 4 times. Suffered with a lot of chest infections.

Once diagnosed and on a preventor inhaler every day things improved a lot. Didn't get a diagnosis until 7 but once I did was never hospitalised again with my chest. I am 36 now, still take it but very rarely need antibiotics for a cough. Last time was approx 5 years ago.

From 7 onwards my school attendance was much better. Hopefully you can get an earlier diagnosis x

Dts were 31 weekers spent 8 weeeks in PICU/NICU and then SCBU before coming home. Every single illness ended in a chest infection and they had the blue inhalers with spacers and then just the inhalers around seven. They were suspecting asthma but wouldn't formally diagnose until 4 by which time the chest infections had dropped off but the croup continued for another couple of years.

They still get chesty now at 12 with a cold but nowhere near as bad and don't have inhalers anymore.

They get fewer colds / viruses now as I think they have had pretty much every one going.

And as for impact on marriage yes it was hugely stressful we were constantly bickering from stress and tiredness but those days did pass, eventually!

@Tryingtoconceivenumber2 that's so good to hear, sorry you were so poorly before your diagnosis and I'm so pleased you're managing really well as an adult. ❤️

@idontlikealdi its so reassuring to hear what you had to say, we send Dd to nursery but she gets every bug going
I hope it levels out just like it did with your twins. Can't imagine what that must have been like when they were little. Well done you