New to this site.

Hi im a single mum with a son of 14 and he has had asthma since he was 5 now, but never really troubled him but the last few months have been very hard, today especially had to go on nebuliser and take tablets anybody else find this hard to cope with ?

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hi

welcome Marsha,

you will get lots of help and info on here.lots of blogs how young children are and how parents try cope.love Glynis x

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Hello Marsha, I really know how you feel. I think the feelings can fluctuate wildly - especially when your kids are poorly. It is so worrying. I had a real hard time when the cold air came along as it was my boy's first winter since diagnosis - couldn't stop worrying and catastrophising. I wound myself right up and was tense and on the verge of tears all the time. Came on here and found so much support (my blog was something along the lines of I'm a mummy who can't quite stop worrying - search for it and have a read through, it might make you feel a bit better!) and I realised, most importantly, that it is completely natural to worry - I am his mum. And also, that worrying, however distressing to you, can help to keep you on your toes (in the short term). You're doing great - you've been to the docs and you're on here, and that shows how much you love your son. I find leaving my son at night the most difficult, so I make it easier on myself by either bringing him in with us or sleeping in his room with him. And leaving him at preschool too, so I just always make a bit of a fuss to keep them on their toes and up to date - I don't care if they think I'm being a bit over-protective and fussy (and possibly a bit mad......)!!! xx

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Hi Guys not sure how to reply on here yet,

Thankyou for your messages, its nice to know im not a mad woman worrying so much, im so scared to leave him alone, but thanks for your support and to know theres people out there who feel the same as me, i have never really realised how bad it could be untill he had an attack so scary, i feel for everyone and have been so naive, but glad to have found this site x

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Oh Marsha, don't say that you've been naive, it sounds as though you're blaming yourself. It's not naive at all. I thought that I had a fairly accurate view of what asthma looked like before my son was diagnosed - I'd been an HCA for 14 years and then went on to work in the pharmaceutical industry in a clinical related job. But, me and my hubby didn't recognise the signs that our son was having in the run up to being hospitalised during his first severe asthma attack. In retrospect we could have gotten intervention a lot, lot sooner.We really beat ourselves up about it, and was cursing ourselves for not having noticed his symptoms and it took both of us a while to get over those feelings. Now that I know a lot more about asthma and really learning how my boy displays symptoms (he's only 3 and a half so lots of reading between the lines and other important mummy stuff going on :O)), I am getting much more confident about asthma. But that said, I am still very wary that even though he's never had an acute severe asthma attack (he's had two severe attacks and both have had a relatively long build-up) that he could still have one and that every person with asthma could have one (even if they don't have a history). Am I making sense? Be kind to yourself. I meant what I said - you're being a great Mum. The feelings are probably pretty raw today but tomorrow you might feel a bit better. x

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NEW 2 THIS SITE

Hi im a very worried mother of a 2 year old with asthma i feel that im not getting anywhere and no 1 is listening. My son is on blue and brown steroid inhaler but still having persistant cough and sickness because of the cough. He was on blue inhaler when he was 14 months and it worked then so he came off it but had 2 go back on it just before xmas and there is no improvement this time docs reply was keep tryin. I feel my son is suffering and im helpless 2 help him. Any advice.

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Hi Marsha and everyone! I'm in the same boat as all of you. My two year old has had chest problems since birth and has only just has been diagnosed with viral-induced asthma as I pushed the GP for a diagnosis. We were in hospital pretty much every second week since October and the weather is damper. I pushed for the diagnosis because the GPs were constantly worrying that he had chest infections and wanted to give my son antibiotics yet all the X-Rays always showed no infection. I felt that as he was responding to his ventolin and in more severe cases a nebulizer at the hospital I was sure we were looking at asthma (as my husband suffered as a child and so do his family). Since his diagnosis I've been really worried as his attacks appear to be worse rather than better eventhough he has been put on flexide (orange) morning and evening two puffs and at the moment ventolin regularly during the day since he was hospitalized last weekend. I am constantly afraid and now he is fighting a bug with diarrhea and as my husband and I have colds we are scared our son will get that and asthma once again. I am also pretty much sleeping in my son's room constantly as he has been so ill. I have gone without a good nights sleep for over one week and am getting really irritable from tiredness. Its really tough especially as my DH wroks long ours. I just find it hard on both my son and I - because when he is ill for a week or so, we are so isolated trying to get him better again. We can't go outside because it could make his cold and asthma worse and so we stay home. I am also learning slowly but surely - so focusing more on activities with him such as painting, making things, baking etc. These things are good but still he misses out on interaction with other kids and normal activities such as swimming etc. I've had to cancel loads of social events in the evening (not that we ever go out usually) and I'm starting to feel just a week bit trapped. Sorry don't want to moan too much just am totally overcome by worry. Take care and am worrying as much as everyone else. Kristina

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Gosh, what would we do without the shared experiences on this site? Katrina - it sounds as though you are having such a rough, rough time at the moment and I can really relate to your circumstances, although your little one sounds less controlled than my little one. When the cold snap came in October I was frantic with worry, wondering if it was going to be another trigger that we were going to find out about. The feelings are totally overwhelming and powerful. It is such a horrible worry. I really know those feelings and am hoping that you feel a little bit better today? Do you find though, that getting it all out of your head and onto these page that it lifts a little bit? The last time I felt like this I wrote a big piece on here, so many people replied saying that they knew exactly what I was feeling. And this made me feel better. It made me realise that I was reacting to stress in the same way as every other person. Woohoo, I was normal! :O)

Re sleeping with your little one - I do exactly the same thing, and why not? Night times are the worst time - all the worries come creeping out. I find them very difficult when my little one's poorly. There's probably not much you can do to change that, so is there anyone at all that can give you a break in the day so that you can at least get a snooze in in the day?

Re staying in - aaargh, it's so frustrating and cabin fever sets in doesn't it? I just get everyone round for play dates! Helps with the boredom and constant challenge of finding something to do.

Hope some of this helps xx

[yaf_user681_23350]

Hi I'm finding it a little easier now my Son is older, he has severe and difficult asthma (brittle type 2).He is nearly 10 and tells me what's going on. We bought a bed 2 years ago with a bed underneath that can be pulled out and fits along side other one when needed (only got a small house with small rooms). Fantastic for horrible asthma nights, my Son feels safe when very ill if I'm close by.I can treat him quickly and hopefully keep him out of hospital.Now at weekends his older brother sleeps in it so they can talk all night!!My Husband and I have argued over treatment, any one else have this?My Husband says the hospital can't be trusted as he doesn't wheeze and he is safer with us as we know what we are doing (keep sending us home as chest is clear, hour later Son fighting for breath), but I feel helpless when it all kicks off and know the nebuliser can only be used every 4 hours. It has got easier now as my Son asks for oxygen and hubby calls an ambulance without a row first(Daddy's boy!).We are having a good spell at the moment but dread every cough and panic ""here we go again, lack of sleep and the huge responsibility on our shoulders"". Kids with other illnesses get huge amounts of support and counselling and specialist treatment. The thing that breaks my heart is when my Son asks if his asthma will kill him this time. I tell him not if I have anything to do with it,I will fight this for you, so don't worry.

He knows this is true and this is how I taught him to swim when he was 5. He hated the water and we went in the pool. I told him to swim and I would hold him. He said ""Ill drown"" to which I replied ""If you think I've spent the last 5 years keeping you safe and secure just to drown you in the pool, you are mistaken"" He laughed and swam off on his own!.

At least the medication is improving which helps, montelukast and seretide has helped give my Son better control.

Take care

Kate

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I too can totally empathise with the fear factor of being a parent to a child with Asthma.

My 15 month old little girl has it and is currently on Ventolin, Montelukast and Seretide (the latter she is in fact supposedly too young for!)

We still have her sleeping in our room as we are too scared to leave her at night....just in case!

Her asthma is hereditory (my husband is best friends with pred!) and can come on quite fast.

I too, live in a world of fear, sleeplessness and anxiety. As for the cabin fever, we dont mix with other children as a rule as the worry is too much. Each friend that is due to visit us, I vet as to whether they have a cold etc before they come as I know it can pose a real hazard to our precious little girl.

You are not alone. This is a great site that empowers us as parents with children with asthma to learn to have the confidence to eal with it. It certainly has helped my husband and i gain confidence to call an ambulance when we feel its needed. We stand our ground and know that our little girl comes first.

It is soooo hard to deal with as overall their is not much support from GP's etc when it comes to childhood asthma. It certainly can pull on the heart strings and put alot of emotional stress on us.

Take care of yourself too though as if you are strong then it can help your little one cope too.

Emily.

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Hi everyone havnt been on for a while my son been so bad, think hes out of the woods now for the time being, thankyou all so much for the replies, makes me feel able to cope better as most people don't understand the worry we go through, my son taking is taking his brown inhaler everyday but may have to go on an orange one again, but at least for now under a little control, roll on the warm weather for all our children, but then the hayfever with it aswell, hopefully get a good nights sleep tho tonight first time in weeks so shattered working full time aswell, but love him soooo much as we all do our children, so precious, hope you all ok x

[yaf_user681_23350]

Hi glad things getting better. It's a nightmare when you work too.Not only feeling tired but the guilt of leaving them behind to do so.I hate it.Hope you get a good nights sleep, it makes you feel so run down without it.

Take care

Kate