Asthma REviews

Hello,

I have a 3.5 year old daughter who was diagnosed with asthma last year, (only after I paid to see a private consultant after 3 years of trips to A&E and keydoc).

After reading the very helpful postings and information on this website, I am beginning to think that I may not be doing all the things that I should be to help manage my daughter's asthma.

We have never been invited to an asthma review. After each hospital visit my health visitor would telephone to see if I was ok. We did not receive contact from the asthma nurse. We have only seen the asthma nurse once, after I made an appointment following the consultant's diagnoses.

I thought that children on preventative inhalers and those given steriods needed regular checks on their height? Does anyone know if this is true and what is the frequency of these asthma reviews?

I try to manage my daugher's asthma at home until it becomes apparent that she needs a nebulizer, we then go to the doctor's surgery have the treatment, come home with some soluble steriods and then don't see anyone until the next attack. I thought that this was the done thing, however I am now unsure?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

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At my Gp even after getting a letter to say my daughter had been in hospital they would not contact you to come in for an asthma review.

Unfortunately the was the system works is for you to be proactive.

I would make an appointment for a asthma review with the practice nurse they probably run an asthma clinic and then when there ask how often they think she needs seen and ask them to send you a reminder letter. One of mine is seen 3 monthly, one 6 monthly and one once a year depends on stability/severity of symptoms but i think annual reviews are the norm.

It sounds like you need a management plan for her so you can take steps sooner to avoid the need for steroids and nebuliser by getting help sooner.Ask them to write one for you at the asthma review.

One child is logged on the system and we can't get a repeat prescription until review done after a certain point the other two are missed and we're never contacted its up to me to remember to make the appointments, just a question of how logged on the software.

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You have to have (from the doctors) an asthma action plan, with exactly what steps to take depending on the symptoms. The plan should state what to do and who to call for help, if needed. If the child is so sick, you have to have a nebulizer at home (even if you never have to use it, it is a good idea to have it).

Keep a daily log of all medications you give and any asthma symptoms (please look on the web for examples).

Make an appointment anytime you feel that the asthma is out of control.

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Hi g83,

In my book, asthma care shouldn't be a series of ""fire-fighting"" visits to health care providers. Ideally, you could do with a follow-up appointment perhaps a few weeks after each exacerbation, to check things have settled, and to plan to future management. As a minimum, asthmatics should have an annual review with their GP or asthma nurse just to check how things are going.

If your daughter is having frequent exacerbations, she may need to increase the amount of preventative medication she is taking. This should be assessed after each exacerbation, and cetainly at an annual review.

I would pop along and have a word with your asthma nurse and get a plan of action. Good luck!

CathBear