My 18 mth old just been given ventolin to 'rule out' asthma - advice on concerns please!!

Hi all,

My daughter has been suffering with a horrible cough for months. It mostly occurs at night and she usually only has one nasty bout of coughing every other night or so, it is clearly uncomfortable for her and she does seem to be struggeling to take a breath. Docs have given her antibiotics to try and clear it up but this has had no effect. She has no other symptoms of asthma, none of my family or my husbands family suffer from asthma, and none of us are smokers etc etc. Anyway, the doctor has now given her ventolin and a spacer to use morning noon and night to see if it helps. I have a couple of concerns. 1. As we have no family history or anything that would increase the risk of her developing asthma, I am worried that this is not asthma but something else and that by the doctor putting it down to asthma might mask another problem.

2. The pharmasist seemed concerned about her age when he prescribed the ventolin and seemed to be at odds with the doctor - are there any risks in using this approach with my 18 month old?

I do intend to clarify a few points with the doctor and obviously I want to ensure that I do what I can to help her and keep her safe but I just worry about giving her the drugs if she actually does'nt have asthma etc etc.

Any advice???

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EmmaJ i had a simialr situation with my daughter years ago. We at the time lived in a damp house this triggered a chest infection which left her with asthma symptoms of a wheeze and a cough.

The Dr will have listened to her chest before prescribing ventolin, there are very few side effects with ventolin and well worth seeing if it helps. There is a form of asthma called cough variant asthma. If you google this you will find mountains of info on it. Asthma doesnt have to run in families, i am the only one in my family with asthma but both my children had problems when toddlers but have grown out of it at the moment. My nephew has asthma but neither of his parents of siblings have it.

I know it is frightening because she is your baby! But go with the Dr if it doesnt help ask for a referral to a consultant who specialises in child asthma.