Need some reassurance......

Hi last posted on here back in June but read often! My daughter now 12 is ill and has been for a week. Usual thing cold and then asthma. She is very breathless one flight of stairs is too much for her, she is very pale and can't do anything. She is on pred (from Monday) when we saw the GP who queried chest infection but decided not as only very slight crackle. I am concerned as she is not improving her heart rate is about 125 and sats 97. Her sats have stayed pretty stable and her peak flow is about 300-350 down from 400 - 450. She is needing 2 to 3 hourly ventolin a good 6-8 puffs. I am not sure what to do! There doesn't seem to be any improvement... is this because the steroid dose is too low? Its 30mg per day which to be honest they were giving her when she was 7!! Shall I hang on till the 5 days are up or take her back to the docs??

On a slightly diff but related note she saw a new consultant on Friday who has referred us for lung function tests as he felt her asthma was ""a bit strange"" and that maybe they were missing something? Anybody got any ideas what they might be missing???

She is currently taking 600mcg seretide , singulair, ceterizine daily beconase/ventolin as needed.

Sorry to write an essay.....any thoughts/ideas would be much appreciated.

[Hidden]

Just had to pop in and say hi, I've read your post and, having had a sick kid myself though not through asthma, I do understand your worries. Mum's do know best, so if you feel you should be going back to the GP, by all means do so. Jump up and down to make them listen if you have to. I did. There were times I'd be down bothering the doctor on an almost daily basis.

I was fortunate in the end, finding a paediatrician who listened, looked at from a different angle and came up with solutions for my daughter. So if your daughter's new consultant is looking to do more tests, that sounds a good thing to me.

Best wishes,

Moira

[Hidden]

Tina W. Sorry to hear your daughter is ill. The slight crackle could of been the on-set of a chest infection which I know from the past with my son he is always put on anti-bios and preds plus all other meds doubled.

I would also go back to the doctors today and tell them straight she is not getting better if anything getting worse. Tell them about her having to us 6-8 puffs of ventolin 2-3 hours they should listn and do somethign for her. If the crackle is still there then I would also demand they give her some anti-bios. If you get no where witht hat then wait until surgery is shut or if she gets any worse take her to A&E somethig needs doing for her.

Hope your daughetr gets better quickly, it is so horrid seeing our children suffer when we are doing everythign we can to help them get better

[Hidden]

Thanks so much for replies. went back to docs who was quite useless! Advised me to give her 4-6 hrly ventolin - told him already doing that - ""oh yes you said"" not using intercostal muscles (not sure i have the terminology right!) but i had told him that as well and the classic and completely rubbish ""oh well she doesn't look too bad"" and oh yes we are basing this on the fact that we have NEVER met my daughter before and has no idea what she looks like ill or not!!!!!! Finally recommended a wait and see approach and a bowl of steamy water with vicks in (!!!!!!) Meanwhile her sats are ok still (97) but her breathing is still laboured - I think I will try the docs again and speak to the one who prescribed the pred and see. She is so fed up and just wants to get better but she is not bad enough for hospital and not well enough for anything else!! Thanks for listening to my whinge......x

[Hidden]

Bloody doctors are so horrid. Poor girl, 97 apparently is normal and they only panic if it is below 90. Vicks steam inhalation how pathetic. I was always told to do this and the classic one ""It's just a virus nothing else"" If it is just avirus then why do we have to suffer with our breathing to the point where we are energyless and very pale.

Hope you get somehwere when you go back and see the doctor that prescribed the preds

[angievere]

Tina, I've had this response (usually locum doctors) - it's very annoying. Also 'it's a virus' as mentioned by AsthmaFamily. In fact it happened today - took son to doctor with low PF, cough, wheeze and obvious cold, and was told 'chest is clear, it's a viral infection'....

I would recommend you try to see another doctor, maybe even tomorrow if there's no improvement. Good luck and I hope things improve.