Asthma

[Myztik]

Asthma runs strongly in my family, both myself and DS1 have it and I have found out today that ds2 also has it :thumbsdown:
I have to give him 2 puffs of flixotide jr twice a day, we have a spacer and a childrens mask thingy but what I want to know is how do I tell if he's even breathing it in?
Any tips on how to make sure a 15mnth old is getting the meds properly?

DS1 was older when he was diagnosed so it was easy with him.

[punkbaby]

Its so hard to get them to take it and so hard to see with the spacer i ended up getting a proper mask thing for ds that the inhaler attached too, he had no choice but to take it but it did upset him and was quiet upsetting for me too :( but he needed it so he had no choice, i figured with the crying etc he took most of it in

With DD though she was really good i used to teach her how to breath it in, make it a game, we played puff the magic dragon and after a few weeks she had it down pat the only thing is the dragon took a deep breath :) Seemed as it was fun it was easier and she learnt that it helped her too in the long run. Maybe try something like this, its just a case of timing really but you soon get that down pat too

[SimplyMum]

Hello,

It was confirmed yesterday that DS definately has asthma. They did an x-ray (for an unrelated problem) and they said in passing that the inflamation of the airways is a sign of asthma. I asked them elaborate and so it goes, it's now confirmed. I always had suspicsions that he didn't actually have asthma and it was something else.

Anyway, enough of that. About a month ago DS was admitted into hospital after a severe asthma attack. While in hospital they took a look at our spacer and mask and said that the one we had (wihch cost about $27) was no good because you could actually see whether he was breathing the puffer in. They reccomended that we get one only available through the hospital so since buying this one ($30), his asthma has actually improved. Now, this could be from him also being on Singleair but I think the new spacer is much better. It has a little flap that moves evertime Ds takes a breath. The rule is 1 puff for every 4-6 breaths. Going by when the flap moves and how much I can count how many breaths he's taking.

It's defanately worth the $$$ and I don't know why they don't sell it in the chemists. What's the point of selling a spacer that doesn't work? It's dangerous!

I'll post the name of the spacer if you'd like- I don't know if it's avaiable in every hospital/state.

[missie_mack]

My DS was diagnosed at 7months by one of the childrens hospitals in Sydney. They suggested that we also use a spacer and we count to 10 slowly pushing the button (for lack of a better word) at 1 and 3.

Interesting they prescribed him with flixatide. If you dont mind me asking did they try the non steriod preventers first??

Oh and a child is 7 times more likely to be asthmatic, suffer hayfever/sinus or have eczema if their mother has it. The chances if both of you have asthma (which is the same for DH and I) to have children with asthma or eczema are nearly 100% :eek: :thumbsdown:

[SimplyMum]

My DS was diagnosed at 7months by one of the childrens hospitals in Sydney. They suggested that we also use a spacer and we count to 10 slowly pushing the button (for lack of a better word) at 1 and 3.

Interesting they prescribed him with flixatide. If you dont mind me asking did they try the non steriod preventers first??

Oh and a child is 7 times more likely to be asthmatic, suffer hayfever/sinus or have eczema if their mother has it. The chances if both of you have asthma (which is the same for DH and I) to have children with asthma or eczema are nearly 100% :eek: :thumbsdown:

I didn't know there were non-steriod asthma preventers. DS is on flixotide as well.

Interesting about the 7 times more likely. What's the likleyhood of a child getting with neither parent having it (DS situation).

Interesting the different methods used. I wasn't told a method in the beginning but the drs and nurses in hospi advised us the way we do it now.

TIP- after I established with DS that it was ok (he was a little scared), I turned it into a serious matter. Just so he didn't try to run away or anything. I use the same method each time. I put his head on my chest and hold the mask over his mouth with one hand and puff with the second hand. I than slowly count to 8-12 (depending what he's breathing is like) and try and keep it quiet, smooth and consistent. I've found this helps reassure DS as to what's going on. He knows that he's to stay on my lap and not squirm until I've stopped counting.

[missie_mack]

Intal and Intal Forte are the two non steriod preventers I am aware of (not to say there aren't others) The worst side effect to my understanding can be a sore throat and they find ensuring they have a drink afterwards can prevent that. Which you really have to do after most preventers because of the whole ulcer and what nots issue....

Wouldnt hurt to ask the GP IMO

Oh and there are those funtime spacer and masks that others have had really good success with. My little one is probably too little to understand it all though and really he is quite good at taking his medication... but maybe it is due to the age he started and perhaps a little luck

ETA here is the link (http://www.chw.edu.au/parents/factsheets/spacer_with_mask.htm)to the recommended method from Westmead There are also some other really fact sheets asthma related...

[Myztik]

Thanks for the info and advice ladies! He has actually picked it up really fast and I am really happy with him. He copies everything and the moment so I just kept doing exaggerated breaths in and out on the spacer and he copies perfectly lol. I have the mask aswell and tried just the mask and inhaler but he clamps his mouth shut.


I'll post the name of the spacer if you'd like- I don't know if it's avaiable in every hospital/state.

Yes please. The spacer I have was given to me by the doctor who diagnosed ds1. It makes a sound when they are breathing it in properly and is clear so you can see if there's any spray left in it.


Interesting they prescribed him with flixatide. If you dont mind me asking did they try the non steriod preventers first??

Oh and a child is 7 times more likely to be asthmatic, suffer hayfever/sinus or have eczema if their mother has it. The chances if both of you have asthma (which is the same for DH and I) to have children with asthma or eczema are nearly 100% :eek: :thumbsdown:

Umm I commented that my ds1 was on flixotide and that it works well for him (we tried other meds before hand and they did nothing for him) and the doctor seemed happy with that and prescribed it for ds2. I have to go back and see him in a week.

Great my poor boys will probably suffer horrid sinus pain too :gloomy:

[Myztik]

Intal and Intal Forte are the two non steriod preventers I am aware of (not to say there aren't others) The worst side effect to my understanding can be a sore throat and they find ensuring they have a drink afterwards can prevent that. Which you really have to do after most preventers because of the whole ulcer and what nots issue....

You should always give a drink of water after any form of inhaler is used :thumbsup:

[isis]

hi just to say that my 12 month old has been diagnosed (well they said we cna't say it is asthma yet) there is no asthma in our family but he was born by emergency c section and i was basically induced at 37 weeks (i was dilated ) but waters ruptered by doc, drugs the works (thats another story) anway the doc i saw who is a specialist said that babies born with c section who have wet lung (and was then on a respirator) are showing a tendency towards getting asthma and respiratory problems but they generally grow out of it. just thought that might help if no one in your family has it.

[Myztik]

Hi Isis :)

Sorry to hear your little one is going through all this too. Unfortunately asthma runs in my side of the family, both myself and ds1 have it too.

[SimplyMum]

hi just to say that my 12 month old has been diagnosed (well they said we cna't say it is asthma yet) there is no asthma in our family but he was born by emergency c section and i was basically induced at 37 weeks (i was dilated ) but waters ruptered by doc, drugs the works (thats another story) anway the doc i saw who is a specialist said that babies born with c section who have wet lung (and was then on a respirator) are showing a tendency towards getting asthma and respiratory problems but they generally grow out of it. just thought that might help if no one in your family has it.

Interesting to note.

DS has asthma but like you asthma DOES NOT run in either side of the family. And he was not born via c-section, no drugs during labour, was breast-fed for 8months, was induced at 40weeks due to pre-eclampsia- otherwise born completely normal and 100% healthy!
Weird how some things happen. I hope they all grow out of it.

[isis]

hi well that is strange - but you are right hopefully they will grow out of it - it seems quite likely that they will. saw the doc today and he is getting better so just one bit of preventative med a day now so that is good - he was not too co-op with the spacer thing. but he also has a really runny nose!!

[Lila]

just wanted to recommend the FUNHALER to every mum!!
our little one learned to inhale with it the FUN way, it's worth every cent.
also, we put him on singulair from 18 month on an this attacks have much improved
he had attacks every 3 weeks, even with INTAL...
we got rid of the flixitide atm...see how we go...he has an attack atm...sooo we get onto it....:thumbsdown:

[2sweetgirls]

Helllo Asthma mummies,

I have a question in reguards to a vaporiser.

Last night i went and purchased one as DD2 has always shown signs she is struggling to breath, mostly at night she wakes me gasping, grunting and snoring, and now she has a cold, generally just a runny nose.

I put the humidifier/ vaporiser / steam thingy, on in my room where she sleeps, and I have never ever had such a good sleep....

Does the vaporiser help open up airways?

Thanks.
Courtney

[Myztik]

I am guessing it does to a degree because when both of my boys get chesty we use the vaporiser and it helps dramatically :yes:

[2sweetgirls]

thanks for that myztic, I dont really know how long to have it on for etc, i heared pepermint oil is good too?

[Myztik]

I use Eucalyptus Oil in mine. I fill the thing with water then add one or two drops becuase it is quite strong you dont need much.

Mine switches off once the water level gets low so I usually leave it on til I go to bed as I find the room is steamy enough by that point. If ds wakes later in the night coughing etc then I switch it back on. I have been told not to use them for more than a few nights in a row though as they can cause fluid on the lungs BUT I am not 100% sure about that (researching now) so don't take my word for it.

[floggadog]

Hi, My DSS was diagnosed with asthma at 3 & has had it on & off ever since. He also suffers chronic hayfever. We have tried ventolin, nasal sprays, Vitamin c, garlic & horseradish, antihistamines, vapourizers, hayfever tabs... the list goes on & on. Finally, after 11 years of him suffering, I took him to a highly praised homeopath. She found he is allergic to milk & wheat & low in potassium. After 4-5 days of his 'new' diet & his potassium & 2 separate homeopathic hayfever relieving tabs he was a new a new boy & 5 weeks later his Mum has told me today he is going really well. This is an enormous relief for not only him but his Mum & us. He isn't constantly coughing, sneezing, watery eyed, wheezing & blowing his nose (which was starting to bleed with the effort).
Anyway, just wanted to share our experience & hope it helps someone.
PS my friend from whom the recommendation came has a daughter who 12 mths ago was living on ventolin through a mask on one of those machines (can't think of the name) she was found to be allergic to honey & short of a type of vitamin C & zinc. She is now basically Ventolin free.

[red crayon]

hi everyone - my son's just been diagnosed as having asthma - he's 3. he seems to get it when he has a cold. we're using a spacer and ventolin. i was asthmatic as a child and so was my mum.

do any of you have an experience with this type of asthma - the sort that comes with colds? is it worth pursuing using a preventer?

thanks.

[Myztik]

Hi

Yep both my boys have cold induced asthma as do I :yes: I was told to use the preventer for a month then just use the reliever as needed.

[missie_mack]

Yes its pretty common to have your asthma worsen with colds. Both DS and I have the same issue... which means when we get even a slight inclining of a cold we have to get ontop of it quick. We also use preventers however I now only tend to use them towards the end of Summer coming into Autumn up until the start of Summer when I tend to be my worse. Currently DS is off his preventer as we have been able to manage it well with just the relivers...

Im also not suprised with the outcome of the allergies as for us anything that upsets the airways can trigger it. Really IMO all kids who have asthma should be tested for allergies

We also use eucalptus with our vapouriser I find it breaks the mucus up better than some of the other oils we have tried. Steam in general is really effective for us with opening up the airways and we use hot showers to help when we are sick :)

[cheezelkat]

sorry to butt in here....

but my little man got a cold 3 or 4 weeks ago...after 2 weeks we took him to the doctor after a persistent cough and they said croup or asthma. Its been almost 2 weeks since we saw the doctor and he is still waking up coughing at night.

What signs did you have for asthma in your little ones? My siblings and I all had childhood asthma so I'm quite paranoid.

[Lila]

sorry to butt in here....

but my little man got a cold 3 or 4 weeks ago...after 2 weeks we took him to the doctor after a persistent cough and they said croup or asthma. Its been almost 2 weeks since we saw the doctor and he is still waking up coughing at night.

What signs did you have for asthma in your little ones? My siblings and I all had childhood asthma so I'm quite paranoid.

reoccuring cough during the night is an indicator...
i'd go back and let them check him out! :hugs:

[Myztik]

The night cough is pretty much what sent me to the doctors :yes: my boys also got wheezey after small bursts of playing/excersising.

[missie_mack]

DS had a cough first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon. What really triggered my persistance to see a specialist was the type of cough he had. It was a honking barking type of cough similar to mine. I was constantly hitting brickwalls getting a diagnosis with GPs (partially because we werent seeing our regular GP as we were living interstate for 12 months) who wanted to look down the floppy larynyx track first. Once I got him on medication I havent heard the cough regularly unless he is sick and its treated......

I guess for us it was inevitable as both DH and I are asthmatics thus making me very concious that it was very likely

[Mataamua]

Hi everyone,
It has been very interesting reading all your posts, And I hope you dont mind me adding my experience.

My 2 year old had a severe asthma attack yesterday evening, (hence me being here reading all I can about asthma) we ended up spending the night and all of today in Hospital, she was given ventolin and some other type of puffer every two hours, they also gave her two doses of a steroid medicine, provelone or something with a name that sounds like that.
the experience was a very big shock! and very scary!

We have just this past week been keeping a diary to see if she might need preventer medicine,after an appointment with her allergy specialist/paediatrician.
I did not think it was so serious and I was certainly not informed by our specialist about what to do in relation to if she was to have an attack.I dont know what the specialist was thinking, he said for me just to give her a few puffs of ventolin if she got a bit wheezy. Well the poor thing I did not realise the process of giving her the ventolin, Or how much to even give her, and that I needed to keep giving the ventolin until she settles down.

It was my fault her attack was so bad for not giving her enough ventolin in the first place.I felt just dreadful! But thank goodness we have an action plan now, The doctor at Armadale hospital was fantastic, I am thinking of finiding a different specialist, My current specialist told me to come back in October to repeat her allergy prick tests, and we would discuss the diary then?!

I know they say that its hard to diagnose young children but if any of you think your child may have asthma try and have an action plan in place, and know how much and how often you need to administer ventolin,I wish I had of known!

And we have no family history of asthma or allergies, but my litttle girl is allergic to peanuts and highly allergic to cashew we have to carry an epi pen.

Will be going off to do some more reading and research about asthma.

[Ys_Woman]

It is interesting to read how asthma management has changed over the years. My eldest dd, who turns 21 this week, was diagnosed with asthma when she was only 5mths old. She was immediately put onto the liquid form of Ventolin. It was only many many years later that I learned the liquid Ventolin is a waste of time until the child is over ten months as the muscle it works on isn't developed until then. Fifteen years of prednesone and at least a dozen different preventatives (trialling new ones as they came along)then ensued.
She chooses to not take a preventative anymore and only occassionally requires a ventolin inhaler. Thankfully my two younger kids have been fine. I am keeping an eye on the baby though as he seems to have rattles, wheezes, and coughs and changing his formula to lactose intolerant hasn't entirely fixed the problem.
My sympathies to those with small children and asthma. I think after the first fourteen years of trips to hospital with my eldest we probably earned our own chairs in the waiting room..lol..if not a bed!

Amy:)