I'm losing tonnes of weight over this vile illness, (and sleep) my hubby and I are at loggerheads constantly, and I need some reassurance if possible.
My 2 year old (2 yesterday, birthday at DRs!) has suspected asthma, has a blie and brown inhaler, and gets lots of chest infections. He finished a 5 day course of prednisolone last week, and amoxycillin.
He started couging a bit in the day yesterday and then coughed pretty much solid from 6pm-12midnight ish last night. I am exhausted. We took him to GP yesterday and today who assures us his chest is clear, no wheeze, no temperature, and to persevere with the puffs (upped them a bit after advice.) They are reluctant to give more pred...fair enough, he's a monster on it. But the all night coughing? I have elevated his cot, put steam machine, wet towel, vicks, vicks plug in, taken teddies away. It is just awful. Is this just asthma? Is this what it can be like? Am at wits end Also, he has a bit of a snotty nose, so I know he has a cold too. Feel so bloomin useless as a mother, all I could do was hold him in the night, and although he was a bit better upright, he still coughed. My hubby won't let me give him pillows. He doesnt wake when coughing, but goes no more than 10 mins max in the night without a fit of it. Will it pass? Im so stressed out! xx
No pillows?? Why? When I was a child with asthma I couldn't sleep without being propped almost upright with pillows. Even though I couldn't really sleep on my side as usual, I still had a better night sleep as I could breathe much better. As for Vicks, I later in life realised why I hated my mum giving me that.. something in it triggers me off so I get sneezy and funny from it anyway. I just like steam from a good lemon, ginger and honey tea instead. Although the chest rub does seem to help and doesn't irritate me like inhaling does. Maybe they just had it too hot and steamy for me.
Just a couple of thoughts, I don't know if I'm right or wrong at all, just what I've experienced myself.
So sorry to hear your little one has been so poorly my son (7yrs) has not had a good time of it either lately and has just finished a 5 day corse of pred and amoxicillin today just weeks after an 8 day course!! It's a nightmare and so stressful my husband and I are often at logger heads in the early hrs stressing over what to do!
Why won't your husband let your son have a pillow? as he is old enough now. My son often is propped up by 3 pillows ( all anti allergy) when he is coughing and it does seem to help a little. Sadly there doesn't seem to be a magic answer this time of year it is just awful, all I can suggest is that if you are not happy take him back to the doctors not all asthmatics wheeze, not all the time anyway.
Mothers instinct is often the best thing to go by, I used to worry I was fussing and being a pest but I don't anymore I go with my gut! I hope things settle down, sorry I couldn't suggest anything to help!
Big hug to you.
Clare
Hey! massive hugs first of all!! and also, if your husband still doesnt want to give your son pillows, you say you have raised the cot, is that raise at just the head end, as in lefted the matress and put something underneather so it is at a slight incline!? this could also help! does he have blankets or anything in bed with him?! I know I couldnt cope with wool or really fluffy blankets as it just collected dust and made my asthma worse when younger. my mum always also used to hoover my matress weekly also just incase anything was trapped in it. oh and im not sure if he has a duvet on not yet, but what is in it? my mum used to get an anti allergy duvet also,slightly more expenseive but realy worth it. my mum used to give me camomile tea before bed as a baby untill i was probably about 5 also!!
I think I have just rambled!! sorry if I have
xx
hi
we have a simmilar thing with our daughter and coughing the coughing is how her asthma presents its self most of the time though she does have wheezy attacks when triggered by allergins
one note i would stop using a plug in and the vicks they do have a tendency to trigger attacks especially the plug in, we use snuffle babies rub and carvol or albus oil drops seem to work quite well but when the cough takes hold theres not much you can do exept manage it with the blue inhaler (it can be given when they are asleep) we have had to resort to it tonight as she was gipping managed to get her to take it quite well it took about 10 mins to calm down properly but touch wood ours is asleep for now.
hope you have a better night tonight i know what it like to be so tired you cant even function properly.
hope this helps in some way
hi im going thru the very same with my 4yr old, on 25th nov she was given prednisolone for 5 days after going bk to docs twice in 24hours, she is now the same with the coughing non stop until she is sick, she is on 3 inhalers blue brown n green n doctors diagnosed her with chronic asthma in the summer. i dont no wht to do, i'm listening to her coughing whilst shes trying to sleep i feel so useless!, she has pillows which r allergen free, sorry to hve gone on xx
You are all so kind, and sorry to hear some of you are in the same situation. We have brown inhaler, 4 puffs am and pm, and blue as and when. On day 2 of TEN day pred course!! He's still coughing a lot. Hoping for an improvement v soon. I think I've made the mistake of thinking that the medication is a magic wand, sadly it doesn't seem to be doing much as I think he must have a nasty virus, his nose is streaming. At least we are all in this together. Its dreadful. And he was only 2 on monday so not even able to get diagnosed yet, really. Sigh x
Hi whistle4it. I know it's a nightmare as we've had the same with our son - he's had asthma since babyhood. He's 14 now and a lot better, but colds are his main trigger. It's really hard when they are as young as your son because you feel so helpless. But it sounds as if you are doing everything possible - keep going back to GP if you are worried because you know your son best.
will be taking my little one to doctor today have had no sleep xxx
As others say, not all asthmatics wheeze. Mine is coughing till almost sick. They call it cough variant and suspect why not diagnosed earlier. It's a term they've used in the States for years but not known by many GPs over here. Please go with parent's instinct every time.
Ps when I was little and still now at approaching 60, being propped up against several pillows, I feel stops excess mucus gathering.
Best wishes.
Moira xox
Ps I've done the all night awake with child and grandchild. Shared same health problem though not asthma, caused nightly sickness. Passing on e-hug. OoooO
Gosh, cough variant? And does this respond to inhalers? Thanks for the replies everyone xx
My boy is seeing as resp specialist early Feb. Am now terrified as they've mentioned tests including Cystic Fibrosis, eeek. I've had 4 peaceful nights but it seems to have returned tonight Rubbish. x
hi my deepist sympathies with you and your family. you are most certainily not alone!
My 3 yr old son has had breathing problems since he was a baby and when he was 2 he was diagnosed as asthmatic. my husband and i have struggled for the last year as my son has an attack about every 6-8 weeks in the last year and evey time has ended up in hospital on oxygen or nebulizer or both. he has also had the same medications as your son throughout the year. my son is now finally seeing a specalist next week so im hopeful to have some answers and a management plan.
my husband and i also have a 2 year old and an 8 month old so we understand your lack of sleep and the pressures it has on a married couple. if there is anyone that you are confident enough to look after your son then go out as a couple even if its for an hour a month. it just gives you that little bit of time together.
it is so hard but keep goinng you will come through it. it sometimes feels like the drs is our second home but it doesn't matter. stay strong and look after each other sending hugs to you all. xxxx
Know exactly where you're coming from. Asthma is horrid
Try not to worry about the cystic fibrosis tests. My daughter has had them done twice, along with a further DNA test to triple check due to her symptoms. I think it's one of the standard tests they tend to do. They seem to test to RULE OUT other things before a definitive diagnosis of asthma.
Also, our consultant explained that most children with asthma tend to display the cough variant symptoms to begin with.
It's really hard as a parent watching them struggle and then often be sick through it too. It's the awful feeling of helplessness.
This site is a brill place to sound off and also to gain incredible support.
it will pass i had it when i started taking my inhaler it is just his body geting used to it take him back to the DR and complain about the reaction if the DR can hear a whease then keep the inhaler to 4 puffs a day keep the inhaler with you at all times if he starts coughing give him a puff . the reason you take care of the inhaler is that he might think it is a toy.
hope he gets better soon best wishes
FernLH
It sounds like you're trying everything you can - and I'm sure you'll work out what helps your little dot soon.
One thing worth bearing in mind is some people with asthma find steam + Vicks plug ins can trigger irritation rather than soothe it.
I love the smell of Vicks, but when I tried a plug in, I'd wake in the morning with my chest burning, so I stopped using it.
Maybe just a tiny drop of Karvol or Olbas Oil on a hanky tied at the top of the cot / bed would do the trick? Or no mentholated stuff for a night - see how he goes.
Good luck & best wishes
Hi again. Cough variant asthma responds to inhalers in just the same way as wheezy asthma. Its just the way we present with symptoms that's different. I rarely wheeze on my off-days, just cough my head off!, which is why I think it took so long to be diagnosed.
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Also, he has a bit of a snotty nose, so I know he has a cold too. Feel so bloomin useless as a mother, all I could do was hold him in the night, and although he was a bit better upright, he still coughed. My hubby won't let me give him pillows. He doesnt wake when coughing, but goes no more than 10 mins max in the night without a fit of it. Will it pass? Im so stressed out! xx
SCHOOL is a pain in the........! (sorry)
Desperate mama
