Kid with asthma anyone?

[Chryslin]

My 4 1/2 year old was just diagnosed with asthma. The Dr. prescribed Albuterol syrup and it hasn't seemed to do shit. Charlotte's lying in bed now coughing her head off. Any suggestions other than taking her to the hospital for a breathing treatment? I'm new at this...

[KCDem]

1. sorry about the news!

I didn't know they could diagnose asthma before 6 (for some reason, I remember that age from an article recently). Maybe see if you can get some take-home breathing treatments? My SIL has to do that to her 3-month old kid right now. ugh.

[Sal316]

2. Do you have any soda?

My daughters both had asthma at a young age, but eventually grew out of it (7 and 4 now).

A soda will work, and it's better than albuterol. Albuterol will work during the day, but it's a stimulant so I would advise against giving it at night, as my girls were wired after taking it.

Ask your doctor for some cough syrup with codine for the evenings. My pediatrician gave me some without me asking and it was a miracle worker at nights.

[curse10]

14. Soda with caffeine

it's the caffeine. I used to drink hot tea when I had an asthma attack when I was a kid and couldn't find my inhaler.

Although I love my albuterol. Saved my life.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. Is she wheezing though?

Is your doc a pediatrician? Asthma and allergies can seem similar but are not. Do you have a home nebulizer? If she doesn't stop you don't have much of a choice but to go to the hospital.

[Chryslin]

5. Define "wheezing"?

She has a high-pitched sort of rattle when she coughs but only wheezes sometimes (breathes out? Is that when she's supposed to wheeze?)Am I supposed to just give her a soda to drink? I'm hesitant to give her codeine at night because I'm in recovery -- you know. My Dr. is just a family Dr. and we've been monitoring this for years. She thinks that it's an allergic asthma - it only comes up periodically. She's had this since she was one year old. It's only now that the Dr. thinks it's actually asthma.

[Sal316]

8. Yes, just a half a can-ish.....

It worked for my daughters when they had attacks much better than Albuterol syrup.

4 and a half is still young... my doc once said that it wasn't until 7 that they could call it asthma... but all doc's have something different to say.

Make sure it's a caffenated soda, as it's the caffine that's the magic ingredient.

[Elanor]

9. wheezing

Yes, wheezing is when you exhale. Asthma makes it harder to exhale.

If she's had it since she was one, and it's allergic asthma, you really should see an allergist, preferably a good pediatric allergist.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

11. Codeine isn't going to open her airways and yes

wheezing is trapping air but if she is getting air IN then she's OK. I am not trying to be an alarminst but what happens with asthma is the bronchioles narrow and air can't get in or out.

If she's 4 and 1/2 call the hospital first. They might be able to recommend an over the counter remedy. Do you live in a wooded area or an area with environmental allergans? Also can she tell you whether the cough is a dry scratchy one or not..I realize it's tough to get kids to communicate symptoms but ask her if her throat tickles. If it does, then it can be due to allergies which can trigger asthma. There are some meds mild enough even for younger kids but I would get her to a pediatrician rather than a family practitioner to treat it effectively. Again, I am not wanting to be an alarmist but not all asthma that children suffer from is childhood asthma and can have serious consequences.

Also have this doc prescribe a home breathing treatment for you to administer to her before it gets bad or causes chronic coughing and bronchitis. If managed appropriately, she'll be fine.

on edit: Just to explain further...codiene can treat bronchitis but it actually suppresses the respiratory cycle. Don't worry about your addiction affecting her unless you are worried about having codiene in the house for your sake and there are newer non-narcotic cough suppressants anyway that are effective. But call the hospital and they can gove some advice over the phone...also..I don't know who you are insured by or IF you are insured but many healthcare providers do have advice nurses you can call.

For tonight, observe her...don't mix other meds with the albuterol and if the coughing does NOT stop then do take her in for breathingg treatment especialy if she strains to get air aftr coughing and exhaling.

[Sal316]

12. It was a mix.....

The cough syrup to ease the asthma, the codine to help them get to sleep.

We only used it on nights where the coughing attacks were bad.

[Rhiannon12866]

7. That's a good idea, a home nebulizer! I have had these treatments

at the doctor's office. I had asthma as a kid, starting at 7 or 8, and outgrew it wnen I was in my early 20s. Now it's back, which I am told is not uncommon. I have had emergency treatments in the doctor's office and ER, but haven't had to go there, nor use my rescue albuterol inhaler hardly at all, since I began on Advair. That's an inhaler I use twice a day. Ask your child's doctor if this might be an option.:-)

[DS1]

4. Sometimes it's not permanent

Perhaps I'm the sole example, but I kicked my asthma by running for the cross country team in high school. It kicked my ass, and I was far away from finishing first, but I stuck through it and by the time I joined the Marines, it was gone.

Yes, I was diagnosed with asthma by a doctor, and given the usual inhalant, so all is not lost. At least in my opinion.

on edit: Post bootcamp my asthma was so completely gone, I lapped the entire senior class in a mile run that was on a half-mile track. Sprinted the whole damn thing, didn't even phase me, in fact I gave them a quarter lap head-start. Go me. These days I'd be lucky to sprint down a shopping in aisle in "Supermarket Sweep". That's just because I'm a lazy ass and my body is broken through and through.

[Elanor]

6. albuterol

Asthma can be dangerous, so don't just change the doctor's medications without discussing it with her/him. Do be an advocate for your child though, and don't be afraid to ask and nag and make a pest of yourself. If the albuterol isn't working or you're unhappy about side effects, say so, loudly; repeat as necessary.

You might want to see an allergist. I find that hepa filters help me, as do the usual tricks (washing sheets, pillows, blankets and comforters once/week in hot water and putting them in the dryer; taking away stuffed animals or limiting them and either washing them or putting them in the freezer; keeping clutter in the bedroom to a minimum). Of course, those things help if your daughter has allergies, and the asthma isn't caused by pollution alone.

My children also outgrew asthma, so there's hope. Allergy shots got my asthma under control.

For a 4 1/2 year old, the asthma (if caused by allergies) could be caused by food allergies. You might want to keep a food diary for her.

My asthma is from allergies; antihistamines help me as much as albuterol. Again, talk to your doctor.

I'd call her doctor before making a trip to the hospital, anyway.

[kathee]

10. Two of mine had asthma

And I was guilty of smoking in the house. As soon as I quit, the asthma cleared right up. Perhaps in their cases, they were allergic to the smoke? Not to mention the smoke itself must have been hard on their little lungs, allegies or not.
I was told smoke can also cause ear infections....who knows?

I would agree on the allergies, though.

[tridim]

13. I had borderline asthma when I was a kid

and the only thing that worked was my Albuterol inhaler (Ventolin was the brand name). There were several times when it saved my life. Later on I took weekly allergy shots that seemed to work. I only have moderate allergies as an adult.

[ott]

15. I've had asthma all my life

First I would invest in your own nebulizer, for home breathing treatments.

An allergy test, the kind where they poke about 100 little dimples in your back and expose you to different things, I think would also be a good investment.

I'd get one of those really good air ionizers for the room she sleeps in. Also, a waterbed, less dust and dander in the mattress.

Lastly, I would take her off all dairy for about a week and see how that goes. Dropping milk and cheese from my diet did more for my asthma than quitting smoking. The doctor never even brought up the possibility, had to figure that one out on my own.

For now try giving her something with caffeine in it. It'll relax the pipes. It's not a good remedy to use all the time but it might do well for tonight.

Good luck, don't panic, and if she goes beyond wheezing and coughing.... If she starts gasping, get her to the hospital.

[sasquatch]

16. I am a survivor of two acute asthma attacks

have her drink tea or coffee if it seems to clear up. If it don't clear up use a emergency inhaler. If it don't clear up then please take her to a hospital.