Not Under Control

Can anyone help ? My daughter Chloe is 5 and suffers from severe asthma ,food allergies and hayfever.I am at my wits end at the moment as her asthma is so poorly controlled. her medication is 10 puffs salbutamol 4 hourly, 5mg salbutamol nebs when required, seretide 50 4 puffs 3 x daily , Atrovent 2 puffs twice daily ,singulair granules, 20mg prednisilone daily. She still suffers really bad at night and constantly coughs and wheezes.Myself and my husband are really tired as we haven't had a nights sleep in months.Chloe is hospitalised at least once a month during the summer and between 5 and 6 times during the winter.She has never seen a respiritory consultant only a paeditrician who does not specialise in asthma. We are at our wits end as she does not listen to us as we constantly ask for a second opinion.Chloes attendance at school was 42% for the whole year .Please can anyone help? Her school is not helpful either.

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Nikki, you sound really desperate and I'm not surprised from what you've told us. You say that you've asked the paediatrician for a second opinion but haven't got anywhere. Have you tried asking your GP for a referral for Chloe to a respiratory consultant? It might well be worth it as s/he may be more willing to make the referral you need because they wouldn't see it as a reflection on them, as I'm guessing your paediatrician is doing so by her reluctance. Failing that I guess you may be able to get some advice from your hospital PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service), who might be able to speak to the paediatrician on your behalf as an advocate or be able to direct you to some other agency that can either do that or get you the much needed referral to a resp cons.

I really hope you get this sorted out soon, and do let us know how it goes. In the meantime, take good care of yourself whilst you're having such stress with Chloe's asthma and all the different consequences of that on the whole family.

Becky.

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Hi again Thanks Becky for your advice.We went to the GPs today as Chloe has been really wheezy , high temperature and coughing again.He prescribed antibiotics and pred again (she only finished a course on Saturday). He thinks they let Chloe out of hospital too early last week and thats why shes poorly again. We've got an appointment with the paeditrician on Tuesday next week so I'll let you know how it goes.Take Care Nikki

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Sorry you are having such an exhausting time at the moment. Does the hospital you attend with Chloe have more than one paediatrician. Sometimes a second one might have more interest/experience in chest problems. THese days patient choice is supposed to allow us to chose which hospital or which consultant within the required area of work for our treatment. Apart from in an emergency of course. Try asking again. Also it might be worth talking again with your GP in case he can recommend another consultant, especially when things have settled down a bit and you have time for referrals to be sent rather than always being the emergency. Chloe is certainly on massive doses of salbutamol and must have the constant shakes which won't be very pleasent for her.