my 8mth son has been diagnosed as chronic asthma - just needing some advice/support/something.......

Hello,

I am new to all this so bear with me and my abysmal spelling.

My 8 month old son has been diagnosed with chronic asthma although the consultant did say they dont like to label asthma until the child is 1 year old at least (confused me greatly)

He has wheezed and coughed his way through most of his life bless him and has had one chest infection/bronchiolitis virus after another.

At the beginning of January he need admitted for nebulisers at the hospital and was referred to the asthma nurse. He started off on just the blue inhaler then after three asthma attacks in two days and a couple of nebulisers later he was started on atrovent (sp?) inhaler and an oral steroid called pridsolne(sp?).

At the moment he has 8 puffs of atrovent, 10 puffs of salbutomol and 10mgs of the prid a day plus 2.5mg of piriton (to help dry up secretions apparently) He also has an average of 3 nebs a week and we have now been given a neb to keep at home.

If I am honest it is all a little overwehlming atm and it seems like a lot of medication for a baby although the nurse we see once a week says it is all nessacary.

In all your experience is this somethinig that is likely to calm down a bit in the near future and has anyone any tips for easing his discomfort

Thanks in advance

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not really got any advice, just wanted to say that the preventers (that will stop your son getting ill) take a few weeks to properly take effect, i was told that anyway, and so if hes only just started them then it might take a little while for him to start feeling better. ive never been on Prednisolone myself but others ive spoken to have said lots of good things about it, so hopefully that will help. the nurse is right in that youd much rather have a medicated child who can breathe than never give him medication but him not be able to breathe! i thought that they didnt officially label a child under 1 as its so hard to test it anyway never mind in such a young child and that some babies are wheezy anyway and its not asthma (but i really dont know that thats just what i thought) anyway, itll all get easier to manage the more you know and this board will be great for support etc. hope you all feel better soon, backawayslowly.

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Oh you poor thing. Its a totally heart wrentching thing to see your baby going through this and absolutely terrifying that they cant communicate to say how they feel. I can utterly sympathise with you.

My daughter is 16 months and was diagnosed at 6 months after several attacks, chest infections and bronchiolitis without a break in between as well as 3 hosp admissions by ambulance. They also said they dont like to diagnose under 2 but some babies present such strong symptoms that they cant ignore it.

My daughter is on Ventolin, Montelukast granules and Seretide. She also regularly takes Prednisalone too in order to reduce an attack.

It truely is overwhelming and so scary as they are so young.

Have they said a possible cause to his Asthma? Maybe an allergy or environmental factor? We've been told we cannot allergy test our dd until she is slightly older but in the meantime we keep her away from animals, smoky environments, paint smells, purfumes etc and limit her dairy intake too. Is your son now weaning? could it be linked to certain foods he is now trying? My daughter cant tolerat yogurts or fromage frais as it causes too much mucus to build up and then makes breathing difficult. Just a thought.

My husband has severe Asthma so we've been told hers is genetic.

I know how hard it is but I really cant offer any advice other than keep going back and back to the gp or consultant if you have any concerns. We have been given the consultants number and told to call his direct line instead of calling the gp for advice as often the gp's arent up to date in how to deal with a baby with Asthma difficulties.

I think all I can say, is that it takese time to get the correct meds sorted and its often a case of trial and error as to the right ones for each individual but once you have sorted that, then hopefullty things begin to get under control.

Take care and PM me anytime if you want to 'chat'

Emily.

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Hello Joanne an dhuge hugs on this horrid rollercaost journey with your son. My son Ryanis 8 years old and was the same as your son at his age. He spent most if his ealry life in hospital rigged up to nebulisers and oxegen because fo chest infections. broncillitus and general virus. It took us a long and hard 18 months to get him labeled as they like to put it as asthmaytic even though he was already on salbulamol and atrovent on a daily basics can't remember the dosagers, prednisolone for 7 days out of the 28 again cn't remember the dose and seemed to be constuntly on anti-bios. The good news is as he got older it did improve and then a few years ago it appeared as if he was out-growing it but then sadly he came down with a horrid chest infection one winter and we are back to square one. t present on he is on 3 inhalers daily and for 7 days out fo 28 has anti-bios and today we are back at the doctors again and I am going ot try and push for some preds for him as I know he needs them at present. Preds have the adventagers and do seem to help but if they are needed continues they do sadly have a side effect of weight gain which on a young child could be more hassle thanit worth. Hopefully your son will improve and I will pray and keep my fingers corssed that over time he does improve and that the preds work wonders for him. Keepo strong and take as much me time as possible which is easier said than done I know but you need to take care of yourself for your son so that when he is really poorly you have the strengh to fight for both of you more than do when he is well

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Thanks everyone,

We were at asthma yesterday and they have added a clenil inhaler to his meds now and booked him in to see the consultant again in 2 weeks so hoping for some more clarity/understanding on it all.

We don't have a history of asthma in mine or dp family but the baby was quite poorly at birth and contracted MRSA in his resp system whilst in SCBU so his little lungs took a battering there. He has had several chest infections, two bouts of bronchialpneumonia and several episodes of bronchiolitis.

I think we are doing all we can for him at the moment so just need to wait and see what consultant says in a fortnight - thanks again for your replys

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Ohh poor little thing. Fingers corssed the appointment goes well in 2 weeks and theinhalers start helping by then as well