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New here & just wanted your opinion

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Hi, my son is 3 1/2 & seems to have a permanent cough, particularly after he has a cold & during the night.

Sometimes he coughs so much that he makes himself sick.

I took him to the Dr a few weeks ago & the Dr ummed & ahhed for a bit & then prescribed an inhaler (ventolin with a aerochamber). He said that my sons chest didnt sound wheezy but as he had a cold it was best to give 2 puffs every night as & when needed. I have been giving him this every night since & the cold has disappeared, along with the cough. Usually the cough lingers on for weeks afterwards & he hasnt coughed during the night.

The dr didnt prescribe a repeat prescription & said if I need more I will need to go back.

Firstly - does this sound like asthma to you, or just that he is prone to coughs?

Would you keep giving him the ventolin every night, or as the cold has gone then stop?

I used to have asthma as a child & used the blue & brown inhalers - I know I had the brown inhaler everyday & only used the blue one when I had an attack so am a bit wary that I shouldnt be continuously using the ventolin, but at the same time am just so pleased that he isnt coughing every night. My mum cant really remember what I was like before I was diagnosed. I can remember being wheezy & occasionally coughing, but am just not sure whether just a cough & no wheezing means it is asthma.

Sorry for the long post, I just need others opinions & experiances to help me.

Kirsty

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2 Replies

Hi. I'm no expert but have asthma myself. My 4 year old has been diagnosed with asthma then was told it wasnt then rediagnosed!

I think you need to book to see the asthma nurse if there is one at the surgery or ask to be referred. It is likley to go in time but he might need some help to clear it when he has a cough.

Yes to me it sounds like asthma, mostly as the ventolin has helped. I would ask your dr about stopping on a night. I personally stop giving it to my boys a couple of days after symptoms have cleared, but I do know people whos kids have it every day. Also if it returns when you stop and clears again when you reintroduce it, that will confirm it is not just a coincidence. Always check with you gp first though. I wouldn't worry about giving the ventolin, my gp told me it is harmless even if taken every day, 2 puffs is also a very small amount to what they are given for an astham flair up in hospital (10puffs every hour).

It is just typical that the wheeze would go at the dr.s that often happens to us, I think it's because symptoms are mostly present through the night and on a morning, it is not until they have stronger symptoms or the onset of an attack that the wheeze is still present by the time you get to the gp.

Hope you get sorted soon

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