Bronchiolitis Help

[trendy1]

Hi All,

My son who is 7 months old has had bronchiolitis 3 times, his 1st bout was December and he has had 2 lots very recently. Each time he gets it they have given him a different antibiotic and we just don't know who is right and wrong as each doctors opinions differ so much (we go to the same clinic but don't always get the same doctor). It looks like he may be getting bronchiolitis again (or maybe just hasn't had enough time to recover from his last lot) he is snotty and sounds like the rattle is coming back. He has had mucas in his throat since his last lot of bronchiolitis about 2-3 weeks ago and it hasn't gone. The doctors said not to worry about it - we are now concerned that this is the reason that he is still getting sick.

Has anyone else had this happen or have any advice. We are just so over him getting so sick all of the time and not knowing what is best to help treat him. If your child has had bronchiolitis recurring what was the best treatment that you got.

We have had: Nebuliser with ventolin, given oxygen at the hospital, amoxycilan, ibilex, redipred.

Sorry for this being so long.

[our little treasures]

My son is forever getting chest infections but they all think it's more to do with his asthma. They said (2 different gps) because he has severe asthma it has left his airways inflamed so that a change in the air is enough to inflame it more causing irritation.

I had been given 3 courses of antibiotics and a chest xray to come to this..

Basically now I have no other choice but to treat him with the steriods (preventer) and ventolin. Although I think the vaproriser is useless I am now using it to keep the air moist in our lounge. I have a roster system for his and his sisters medicine routine. Apparently if I follow it right I will notice a huge difference in them.

I was very distressed the other day when the cough started again.:( It's hard watching them cough so much they almost turn blue and your family has had a week with no sleep.

How much did your nebuliser cost? I am looking at getting one for DS.

[trendy1]

Thanks for that, it is just so frustrating. The nebuliser that we used was at the doctors clinic but we did look at getting one, through the Asthma foundation in the Territory they are around the $300 mark but you can get cheaper versions as well. How old was your DS when they diagnosed the asthma? The doctors that we have seen all seem to disagree on whether it could be asthma and whether or not ventolin will actually make much of a difference.

[our little treasures]

My son was just over 1 when he was diagnosed.

[missie_mack]

Get him into see a paed is my best advice. Readypred can have some pretty bad longterm effects for anyone yet a baby and TBH from what Ive been told its use in children is heavily debated.

My little one had 2 doses of bronchilitis at about the same age as yours. I couldnt get anywhere with the GP and ended up flying home to Sydney and getting my normal GP (we were temporarily living interstate) to fax a referral and make an emergency appointment with the childrens hospital. We were in and out of there for another 4- 6 weeks. However it was only at my insistance as the Gps we had been seeing kept brushing me aside. I was more concerned also because any of our children will have a strong disposition towards asthma with DH and myself both being asthmatics. I was told that children who have repeat cases of having bronchilitis are likely to later be diagnosed with asthma anyhow.

Either way get a referral to see a paed and make the GP ring to get you an appointment this week...

[missie_mack]

My little one was diagnosed with asthma at 10 months. I have a nebuliser for myself but Ive never used it on DS TBH the spacer (if used properly which is much easier at this age) is believed to work well enough anyhow.
My biggest hiccup was getting a infant mask to put on the spacer.....

[trendy1]

We actually have an appointment for a paed in August - yes believe it or not that is the soonest appointment available and that is going private not public. We live in the NT so we have no childrens hospital at all. I just feel like we are going backwards to a point. I keep thinking if we can get rid of the mucas that he has that might help him get over these bouts a bit better.

[AllyCat]

my daughter also suffers from bronchilitis, she got her first bout at 3 months old and was in hospital for 2 weeks on oxygen etc, apparently antibiotics dont work for bronchilitis as it is a viral infection. Every months after this she ended up with the same thing, never ended up in hospital again but her paed put her on flixotide junior and ventolin inhaler taken through a spacer. Apparently most children grow out of it, but you will prob find it will take some time, my daughter is now 3 and every year she is getting a bit better with her asthma/bronchilitis. She catches colds ect very very easily and always turns into asthma, but she is heaps better than what she was 2 years ago.

I would def find a paed and go down the track of asthma medication and see how you go..

[trendy1]

The last time they gave the antibiotics which was the ibilex was to prevent any bacterial infection as a secondary infection and to make sure that it was a bacteria that was causing the problems. They explained this last time that it is usually viral though. He has had a chest xray which came up clear as they were concerned about pneumonia.

[our little treasures]

my daughter also suffers from bronchilitis, she got her first bout at 3 months old and was in hospital for 2 weeks on oxygen etc, apparently antibiotics dont work for bronchilitis as it is a viral infection. Every months after this she ended up with the same thing, never ended up in hospital again but her paed put her on flixotide junior and ventolin inhaler taken through a spacer. Apparently most children grow out of it, but you will prob find it will take some time, my daughter is now 3 and every year she is getting a bit better with her asthma/bronchilitis. She catches colds ect very very easily and always turns into asthma, but she is heaps better than what she was 2 years ago.

I would def find a paed and go down the track of asthma medication and see how you go..
Thats what my son is on.

Trendy1 sorry about my last post being brief I was actually suppose to be somewhere by 12, lol..

You will get the run around and even with paeds. Unfortunately most common colds will trigger the asthma.

It's very tiring not only on the child but on yourself. I am not joking DS was going well for a week and then by the end of the week he would be right back to where he is today. Coughing and finding it difficult to breathe.

In our family I suffer asthma and my DH has atopic dermatitis which he is hospitalised often as it is so severe so we were destined to have it continue.
So far the asthma medication seems to be holding it a bit but the test is in a month or 2 TO SEE IF HE CONTINUES DOWN THIS PATH..

Be assertive at the Dr's because some just happily go along with you and not really help, IYKWIM. I had to really STRESS how I wanted answers..

Good luck and let us know how you go:goodvibes:

[trendy1]

Thank you for that, I am going to try and get him into the doctors tonight as the medical clinic is open late. I will try and be a bit more firm this time and let them know that I am now getting desperate for help and answers. His temp is up a bit and he is again chesty so he needs to be seen to again.

[TwoBlue]

My DS #2 had recurring Bronchiolitis more times than I could count and had more hospital trips than I care to recall.....
Almost EVERY single basic cold turned into Bronchiolitis... :rolleyes:

He has just grown out of it at 2.5 yrs and has NO asthma.

I am suprised they are giving antibiotics for it though, thats very weird.... as they wont help at all...

For me it was just riding it out each time.. and in hospital for oxygen if he needed it etc...
A hard, hard time.. you have my sympathy :hugs:

Is your DS a big boy for his age? Apparently larger babies are prone to it... they call them "fat, happy wheezers"

[trendy1]

He is a bigger baby, he is coming up 8 months soon and is over 9kg. Not huge but certainly not a small baby.

We are going to the doctors tonight as he has a temp now and is starting to sound terrible again. Just want them to have it on their records that he has had it so many times.

Has anyone had any other tests run on their babies/kids? Just not sure whether to push that avenue or just ride with it IYKWIM.

[TwoBlue]

They ran a series of different tests on DS and all came back showing nothing.

My Paed basically said that some babies who are on the bigger side struggle... basically he explained it like a really obese person going for a jog.. that their lungs dont cope well with their body mass... our bubs still have little lungs but decent body mass and when a small illness comes along their little lungs just dont cope... My paed also said he would grow out of it by age 2, it took just a little longer than that.