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Hi, my 16 month old twins were diagnosed with asthma last week after their 7th hospitalisation since January. The twins were going to a childminder a few hours everyday so that I could accomplish some work for the firm my husband and I own. The doctors we have seen have recommended that I remove my twins from the childminder since I truly don't need to send them in order to accomplish the work. The doctors were concerned that the attacks were geting worse after exposure to a few of the other children who are constantly ill.

My husband wants me to end things with our childminder immediately and be selective where I take the twins as he is very concerned about permanent lung damager. I agree on one level but also worry about them being in a bubble per se and not learning to play with other children. Should I just pull them out and keep them home with me? I really want what is best for them. They are my world.

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hi ......

i understand what your going through at the moment, my daughter who is asthmatic has developed other problems now, but they have not worked out the problem yet. but thats another story.

the medical staff are supposed to be the experts and if its not necessary right now to go to a minder then maybe follow his advice, if you are unsure then ask for a second opinion maybe. its a tough one, but maybe re introduce them to a minder again in 12 months time when maybe their immune sytems are a little stronger. i cant advise you, am not qualified to do so, but i know the pain your going through on their behalf. dominique x

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Thank you so much. It is nice to know I am not alone. The hospital staff gave me this website and it is nice to be around others who understand. I don't think that a lot of people understand asthma.

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Hello. What a dilemma! I think for everyone who has children with asthma this is always the big one! My daughter who is 9 and son who is 3 both have asthma and you can guarantee the minute they are back at school they go down with everthing going! My daughter was hospitalised 3 times in 10 weeks just because of viral infections she caught from school!!! But what do you do??? They have to go to school! Your twins are young enough to keep at home with you if you are able and as your other reply says - maybe see how it goes. As for the bubble I sympathise totally. I fight off my bubbling instincts all the time!!! There is a french trip in the offing and all I'm worried about is the hospital is 30 mins away!! If you decide to keep them at home then maybe you could sort out play dates when you know the other children are well. I do hope things improve for you. Tina

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As a mum of asthmatic toddler twins too for your sanity i would keep them with a childminder but perhaps not your current one and maybe not everyday but at least a few hours a week even if i wasn't working.As a mum of an older singleton(also asthmatic) and twins life with twins is very different and very hard work!

There's other potentially more important things to look at like does the child minder have pets, what are they eating with her, are they being exposed to things which trigger their symptoms at her house which can affect their asthma more than who are they playing with. If the childminder is responsible surely she wouldn't accept sick children anyway, mine wouldn't have and aren't they only supposed to have 3 preschoolers at a time anyway or something so realistically it's only one other preschool age child they would be exposed to in her house on a day to day basis unless she's taking them to toddler groups??

Toddlers and twins especially do need to mix with other kids to enable them to develop all the necessary childhood skills such as fighting over toys sorry sharing etc.

The most important thing is to make sure they are on the appropriate preventer and relievers and that your childminder knows how and when to give it, That you have clear instructions from doctors and the asthma nurses so you know exactly when to increase treatment and call for help to minimise the need for admission.

To my kids having an inhaler is normal and having a puff when they need it is just what happens they don't reallly think anything of it and don't live in a bubble and i don't stop them doing anything except if a friend has a dog then everyone comes to our house to play instead!

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Hi welcome

I have an asthmatic son-three years old. They are all the same: whenever he mets a sick he gets sick in afew days. He has been attending kindergarten for two weeks and he has repiratory illness now. I face the same dilemma with you. I believe that our children also need socialization, and shouldn't feel that they are restricted because they are ill. They will not realize themselves.There is no turn back to this ages. I let him do as the others.If he gets sick I begin the treatment with the doctors I am doing today. These are my opinions and attitudes to my son.I hope all ours get soon well