NEW AT THIS...need advice!

hi there,

my 2 1/2 yr old son was diagnosed with asthma a couple of months ago. He's had 3 attacks in the last two months and the last attack (last week) was just 3 weeks after his previous one. Each attack has been worse than the previous one. Even though he was taking one puff of becotide twice a day it didn't prevent the attack. The day his runny nose and the cough begsn, I started giving him regular ventolin as I was told by the doc. The next day he started struggling to breathe, wheezing, taking tiny breaths and he was 'tummy breathing'. That night he woke up distressed due to not being able to breathe. His ventolin inhaler wasn't providing any relief. We called NHS direct who got the ambulance out to us. The gave him the nebuliser which worked very quickly. He was admitted overnight and put on Prednisolone for 3 days. They also doubled his Becotide dosage until next week and said when he gets into trouble to give him 6 puffs of ventolin at a time. They said it seems his asthma is viral infection induced. Since last week his breathing has been ok but now he's coughing A LOT mostly at night but also pretty much constantly throughout the day. Is this part of the asthma too- even though he can still breathe and isn't wheezy? Do I keep going with ventolin? His cough isn't chesty sounding, pretty dry but continuous. My hubby just went & bought new non-allergenic bedding this evening... we just are so scared of him getting ill again. We don't see the asthma nurse til next week (our first time) but in the meantime we feel rather unsure as to how to prevent an attack. We are still giving the preventative of-course, but the cough has us confused as to whether to use ventolin or just ignore the cough? We'd appreciate ANY help or advice. Sorry this is so long... it's the first time I have written it all out like this! THANK YOU. Landa

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Hi I am new also. I have always been told that if any dought give the inhaler as it won't do any harm, but if it is required and you haven't given any then you may have more problems. My little boy goes down hill really quickly without much warning. So whenever he gets a cough (usually his first sign) I give him his reliever, it does normally help.

Is your lo aware if he needs it or not?

Isaac has made the connection between the inhaler and feeling better and often gets the mask and brings it to me saying 'haler' and after 2 puffs he pulls it off jumps down and runs off happy ,almost relived you might say. Obviously I do check him first and it usual apparent that it is needed. You get to know the signs as time goes on.

Sarah xx