Anyone's LO have asthma?

GuitaristsGirl · January 2011

Yesterday I took DS to the pedi. Without going into too many specifics, my main complaint was a chronic cough that seems to be getting worse (along with other things) - it wakes him at night, etc. I believe the pedi when he says that there's no indication of infection or etc. -- but I decided I was sick and tired (of getting the side eye from everyone who meets him, like I don't take care of my kid!, and of being told by the pedi for the past, oh, 8 months, that it was normal/ some babies are just congested/ etc/ etc/ etc.

So, we get to talking, DS has a coughing fit, He asks about family history (positive for severe allergies and asthma.) I feel victorious because I feel like the pedi is finally paying attention to this and taking me seriously. . .

And the end of the visit he decides he wants us to try an inhaler for a few weeks and see how it goes. I ask him "why," and he said, "Well, I'm not ready yet to call it asthma, but this is the treatment I'd use for asthma" - or something like that.

So. While I really hope that DS gets some relief, I hate the thought that he might have asthma and have to live with this for a while, if not the rest of his life (I have/had asthma, but as an unathletic and uncoordinated person, it didn't super bother me day in and day out!)

I hate the thought of him starting medication now, and staying on it into the indefinite future. I'm also a little hesitant about this inhaler (sorry I can't remember the name) - the package insert says it can cause dry mouth and etc., and so adults should gargle with water after, but never rise/ swallow - so I'm not sure to help my little guy who obviously can't gargle

Sorry to ramble, but anyone with any similar experience/ insight/ thoughts?

brideinOC · January 2011

My stepson has had asthma since he was little, he's now 13. IMO, he's just about outgrown in. In the almost 7 yrs that I've been with DH, I've known him to have one asthma attack and that was over 6 yrs ago. SS has a nebulizer at our house and at his mom's. He used to do regular breathing treatments when he was little, but he stopped doing them years ago. He has two inhalers and I can't even remember what they are, he uses them that infrequently. Honestly, he will use them when he has a sinus infection (the inhalers and nebulizer). SS plays soccer and we've even stopped taking the inhalers with us. I hope your LO gets relief!

missyjg · January 2011

Well I could have written this story:) But yes, B was finally diagnosed in December. This was after 4 months of being told "it's cold season". Poor kid was not sleeping and we called her "darth vador" b/c her breathing was so labored at times, she would wake up coughing so hard she would throw up and she would start coughing in the cold. But since being on her meds, she is much better.

We went to a pulmonologist and allergist right away for medicine. They started her off on zyrtec (for allergies) with a nebulizer treatment of (albuterol and pulmocort) 2x daily as well as 2 more doses of xeponex during the day. After 3 weeks we went down to just a nebulizer 30 minutes before bed and the inhailer in the morning. Now she's been decreased again to just the rescue inhailor and an inhailed steriod (I'm sorry I should know the name but I can't think of it now) twice daily. We always give it to her before she eats something so she "rinses her mouth out".

And FWIW, I was told by my pulmonologist (I have severe asthma), that asthma diagnosis is common among babies and they tend to grow out of it. GL. Maybe you should ask to be referred to a specialist for a second opinion.

GuitaristsGirl · January 2011

missyjg:

Maybe you should ask to be referred to a specialist for a second opinion.

Thanks for sharing your story! Your poor sweet baby sounds much worse than mine! DS's cough/ congestion bothers everyone around him much more than it bothers him (except at night)

I agree with the above - it would make me feel better, if nothing else! I'm thinking we try this inhaler for a few weeks and see what it does, and maybe if it helps (heck, even if it doesn't!) we ask for a referral before we continue - ??

Is there no risk in staying on an inhaled steroid for an extended period of time? (I know I can/ should ask our pedi this, I was just kind of caught off guard!)

pinkcallalily · January 2011

We've been told my son probably has asthma, but they won't call it asthma in a child under 2, so for now it's allergies. We don't really have a history of asthma and only have a few relatives with allergies/asthma, but I think it's going to end up being asthma once he's old enough. My son has had a cough most of the time since he was about 3 months old. When we first took him to the pedi, she said he was wheezing so we tried Albuterol. The wheezing didn't go away so he was on Pulmicort until the first freeze and then we took him off it. She said she was treating it as seasonal allergies for now. Now everytime he gets a cough it won't go away so we use Albuterol to clear it up. He has a bad cough right now and I'm not sure if the Albuterol is working this time so he might be going back to the pedi soon. We were using the nebulizer over Christmas and my uncle happened to mention that my cousin was on the same medications as a baby and was eventually diagnosed with allergy induced asthma, so I'm wondering if that's where we are heading.

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