hope someone can help

[coleleanne]

hello really hoping someone can help the doctors have said that my 17 month old has asthma and needs inhalers everyday but they haven't done any tests about a 6 weeks ago he just woke up with a cough by that night he was having coughing fits where he goes a purple colour and gags while he's coughing and sometimes vomits i've been to 3 hospitals and 2 doctors surgery's and they finally gave him inhalers he's been having them I know its still early days but its not getting any better he's still waking up about 6 times a night coughing and gagging and not being able to catch hes breath also throughout the day has anyone else experienced this with asthma?

[Hidden]

Hi I think your best bet is to go back to your doctors and tell them all this. I don't know which inhalers he uses but he might need increased doses or other ones as well.

The symptoms you describe are common with asthma, but not sure about children so can't really advise you there. If the doctors aren't helpful then insist they take action, as you often have to be proactive with them. You could also request a referral to a consultant.

Also have a look at the site Asthma.UK. There is a telephone number you can ring to speak to a qualified asthma nurse. x

[Hidden]

The test for asthma is usually to do a trial of treatment, so they give inhalers and the symptoms improve. If the inhalers are stopped and the symptoms come back there is your answer. However inhalers often require a good technique to get the drug into the lungs. Has anyone checked his inhaler technique??

Often irrirated lungs take a while to settle down, whilst the inhalers might make the symptoms better it might take a few weeks to finally settle.

As the other person said Asthma UK is brilliant for people new to asthma. Or you can see the asthma nurse at the GP surgery for inhaler checks or asthma reviews.

[andybarry1]

Hi, Coleanne. I feel like I'm being a bit nosy, but can I just ask if you're still breastfeeding the child? Reason being that I developed asthma in my second year, I would guess when I came off my Mum's milk. Only just managed to beat it by giving up dairy products (cow's milk, yoghurts, etc). Just a thought..