Diagnosing Asthma?

Hi,

I'm new to this site and think it's great, there is so much info on here.

My son was diagnosed with asthma last year age 5.

I have no doubt that my son has asthma and has been in hospital after suffering an asthma attack and has been on and off steriods since the attack in January as his chest has had a constant wheeze in it since then. We have now been given montelakust along with his clenil inhalers to try....

My doctor never ran any other test apart from listening to his chest before first diagnosing the asthma and prescribing inhalers + steriods. How did everyone else get diagnosed? I would have expected some sort of tests etc to be done before a diagnoses was made......

Sorry for long-winded message.xx

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hi jaywoo

welcome to the forum

diagnosing chldren is slightly differen to adults,

in children they go by history, family history, presentation, response to treatment, allergies and skin testing

also peak flow charting from age of 6

hope this helps

x x

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Great thank you.

I was worrying that he hadn't been given a peak flow meter etc but he is too young yet so that's great that has answered my question.

I asked the doctor about skin testing but he said there was no point because it would come back saying he's allergic to lots of things!! I think i will ask again the next time i go because i'd really to check that Jack's not allergic to our dog! He is a non-casting dog so shouldn't cause a reaction but you never know, and i'd rather rule it out.. Esp because Jack is very attached to the dog!

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glad i was able to answer some of ur questions...

also it may help, before going next appt, write down list of questions u wanna ask doctor as well as;

DATE

POSSIBLE TRIGGER

REACTION i.e. redness/ swelling, running nose, wheeze, short of breath, cough etc.

INHALER GIVEN - HOW MANY PUFFS

that will help u and doc work out possible triggers + allergies

xx

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Hi Jaywoo,

My son Louis was diagnosed with asthma at a very young age, due to really suffering many many chest infections (bronchiolitis, whooping cough etc etc) and we were forever either at the gp's or hospital (A&E!).

Louis was given the usual asthma starting treatment, Ventolin ""reliever"" inhaler and then a brown ""preventer"" inhaler (becotide I think?!) and also permanent daily anti b's and ofcourse prednisolone as and when needed. Louis was then prescribed a step up treatment of ""preventer"" inhalers (these were green and orange I think) because the brown preventer was not strong enough. Along with this he was prescribed Singulair (Montelkulast), Cetirizine and Nasonex!!!!

When he was older, it was felt he was old enough to step up to a purple ""preventer"" inhaler (Seretide) which apparently is a combination of both the green and orange!!! Louis is nine now and it seems he has been on asthma meds for ages that all the dates roll into one. Louis is under a consultant at the hospital too.

Louis has been very unwell of late, four weeks with a really nasty chest infection that has required continuos steroids and extra anti b's and home nebulising, thankfully we seem to have come out the other side as he has been a lot better these last few days (mind you I am still camping on his bedroom floor, i'm sorry but I do panic esp after he has had a real hard time of it this time and watching your child suffer asthma attacks is just the worst thing in the world ever).

I think you will find this site very helpful in many ways, helping you cope and understand but the most important thing is knowing that you are not alone in how you feel and that you are ""normal"" in what you feel/fear.

Big hugs to you and your son

Serenity xxxx