hello. My 15 month old son has had three hospital admissions since 3 months old. He was born at 32 weeks and was a bruiser!! After a month in scbu we went home and started family life.
At 3 months he had bronchiolitis and was admitted for a week, a one off virus we hoped.
Two further colds triggered a tight wheezy chest and as advised gave salbutamol and ipratropium. He also has had to have short courses of prednisolone and a few trips to AnE to have nebulizers and oxygen.
Luckily in between episodes he is fine, he has lactose intolerence and mild eczema too but these are totally manageable and do not impact our lives significantly.
5 weeks age he developed another cold and after several weeks of battling at home we attended AnE. We were given antibiotics, diagnosis from xray chest infection carry on with inhalers as per plan. We were sent home where he had febrile convulsions, back to AnE. Sent home. More convulsions, off to GP.
Told he hadnt got a chest infection and that his chest was clear, viral infection give paracetamol and ibuprofen.
A week later a very lifeless little boy sat on my knee breathing so fast, back to AnE. Further xrays etc chest infection worse,reduced air entry, more antibiotics and nebulizer, sent home.
Next morning in the wee small hours admitted. Salbutamol nebs, prednisolone, hypertonic saline nebs and antibiotics.
Discharged a week later on reducing inhaler regime. Chest not wheezy but rattly. Advised to give salbutamol as soon as cold starts to help keep airways open in the future as well as ipratropium.
1 week post discharge ( 5 weeks since episode started) still not sleeping, coughing to the point of vomiting, rattly but not excessively wheezy, repsiration rate 60 at times and moderate recession.
Back to GP, chest clear, diagnosed nasal drip stop inhalers.
Little man has now not slept for nearly 5 wks, coughing continually from 8pm to 5am.
I totally know that once he shakes this virus all will be well (until the next!!).
However I am at a loss. do I continue the salbutamol or stop as adivsed by GP.
Sorry for the totally long waffling post, sleep deprivation has left me unsure of my own judgement and I just needed to off load.
A little input from others who have been in a similar positon would be great. I am feeling pretty lonely at the moment as my family, who are great, seem to expect me to have all the magic answers because i myself have brittle asthma. Its very different looking after yourself, easy in comparison to someone so precious as your son.