Anyone else struggling to cope with their child's asthma?

Hi

Although I've suffered with asthma all my life it generally has been well controlled with only a few hospital addmissions. Now I have three boys, age 3, 2 and 10 mths. My three year old has been diagnosed as a severe asthmatic for 2 years with very frequent hospital admissions. he is currently taking seretide (purple), ventolin and montelukast and steroids when needed. my two year old is also asthmatic, although less severe than his older brother at the minute, taking becatide (brown) and ventolin wehen needed. My baby is a very chesty baby and his brothers consultant is aware.

I know there are many worse things that my boys could suffer from but their asthma is really starting to get my down. At the moment, it is just constant, with one or the other coughing and or wheezing. The other month, i had both boys (3 and 2 yr old) addmitted to hospital at the same time. it was a logistical nightmare!

Myself and my husband feel confident dealing with their asthma, know the signs/triggers etc and how to administer inhalers/medication effectivly. But at the minute, as soon as one of them starts coughing, I just want to cry, as I know where we are heading. My husband has missed lots of time off work due to them being hospitalised. I am desperate to go back to work but I just don't see it being possible for some time.

My eldest son is due to see a specialist at the end of Feb to check whether it is actually asthma and that nothing else is going on. He has had 3 CF tests which all came back clear and allergy tests which show he is allergic to lots which dosent help. And the amount of nursery he has missed is crazy. It just seems like we can't get it under control at the min and its realy starting to get me down, which isn't like me at all.

I just wondered of there was anyone else out there that feels like this or is it just me?

x

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I know how you feel. My two boys are both asthmatic 3&6 years. the older one is just on becotide and has learnt to control asthma but oscar has been more severe on seritide, montalukast etc. i feel sorry for him, his GP and consultant are very good. I'm hoping that as they get older things will get better, but it is hard and difficult to know what to do for the best sometimes.

good luck

vic

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Hi

You are not on your own. I can't imagine how difficult it is with 3 children. I have an 8 year old daughter and we seem to lurch from one illness to the next at the moment, resulting in frustration, tears (mine) and visits to the GP and her Consultant. Asthma is a horrible illness and the uncertainty demoralising. Have you got any family or friends who can help support you or let you have a break? I have given up dreaming about going out to work for now and got round it by becoming self employed at home. It means I am there to look after her when she is poorly and not letting an employer down. I hope your children's health starts to improve. Take care x

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Oh my goodness I could've written your post myself this time last year!

Firstly my husband has severe asthma, and on pred more than not at the moment. I have asthma too and have needed a few courses of pred this yr too.

We have 3 children. 14, 5 and 3. The 14 yr old takes clenil (brown) and ventolin. The 5yr old is moderate and takes seretide, montelukast, and, at the moment, alot of ventolin! Then there's my 3 yr old who is severe brittle. She's now on a daily maintenance dose of pred and has been since July, flixotide, serevent, montelukast and ventolin. They all live on antihistamines through the summer too.

We are lucky in that our eldest can sort himself out and can understand the tight chest feeling and react by using the appropriate inhaler etc. But at the minute it seems as if my husband and two youngest are on a rota as for who is going to be poorly. We too in the evenings, hear a cough, mute the tv and sit in silence listening out for another so we can see which one it is! Nearly every night it's one or the other up needing alot of ventolin throughout the night! It's totally exhausting! And then there's the worry on top! As like you, we often know where it is heading!

This time last year, Maddie, our youngest, was very poorly and we just couldn't get on top of her symptoms. We couldn't go far in the car without having to pull over and give her inhalers simply due tothe air conditioning. Last summer she lost a kg in a few months. she looked drawn and ill constantly. And I guess we did too due to the constant lack of sleep. We got to know the paramedics so well they stop and chat in sainsburys now!

Then her meds were changed and she got put on daily pred and at the moment we have managed a few months with no huge exasperation. I'm not saying it's been without it's problems, it's caused adrenal failure, emergency admissions for related problems etc, but she can breath and walk!! She couldn't a year ago!

Maddie has also had 3 tests for cf including DNA too. She's had a bronchoscopy, 2CT's and other investigations. It's really tough when you have two others to arrange while you have a poorly one in hospital.

I really hope your little boys consultant can give you some support and relief. Sending you massive empathetic hugs. Remember to look after you too. I'm a great one for ignoring my needs when they are ill and then dropping like a fly as soon as they settle down!!

Take care,

Emily x

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Hi There,

Just a quick message to say that (unfortunately) we are in the same boat as you. I also have 3 children, all of whom are asthmatic. Eldest son (8), on symbicort , ventolin and montelukast and steroids when needed. Middle son (5), not so bad on only ventolin. Youngest daughther (2), on becotide, ventolin and steroids when needed.

We are also in process of having further tests being undertaken on eldest. All have so far come back clear, but am waiting for CF test to be arranged.

Its awful isn't it? I feel like we can never plan to do anything, as one of them is always ill (mainly with severe coughing).

My eldest misses a lot of school, and although he is bright (so I dont have to worry about him falling behind), I do worry about the effect socially it has on him missing school so often.

Keep your chin up.

Jenny