11 admissions in a year

[boxesandplanes]

Hi, I am posting for help with my son's asthma because we are not getting anywhere with the current situation. I am really looking for advice on what to ask the consultants to look for as a cause and any recommendations for private paediatric respiratory consultants or maybe immunologists please?

He is 5 and had had many hospital admissions since around 18 months old. We had very bad mould in our house when this all started and I think it kicked it all off but this has always been dismissed.

Over the past year he's had 11 admissions each with a 3 or 5 day course of prednisolone at 30-40 mg.

He has tried beclametasone, flixotide, montelukast and 3xweekly azithromycin for 2 weeks.

Apart from the azithromycin, the steroids and montelukast have severe side effects so we don't use them.

I know that the inhaled steroids are preferable to so many courses of prednisolone, but the side effects are unbearable.

I'm very interested in making sure there are not any side effects on things like his heart from the steroids.... How do I do this? What would the effects be? What do I ask for?

I also would like to know what's causing it all. He rarely drinks milk but occasionally craves some and I've recently noticed it coincides with getting snotty and then wheezy. The doctor's will not entertain a test for dairy allergy.... Are they right or should we pursue this privately?

I'm interested in assessing gut health to check whether there are big imbalances possibly causing so many attacks.

I'm worried about the affects of so much salbutamol. For instance between Oct and Jan he was unable to wean off it at all. 10 puffs at least every 4 hours, often much more often.

I really appreciate any advice or input. Thanks

[8405loi]

I would give Asthma UK nurses a ring for a bit of advice personally, i do hope your son's asthma gets better soon.

[GregGreg]

Talking to the Asthma UK nurses via the helpline is a good idea as already mentioned. They will be able to answer your questions in more depth. I seem to remember as a child I couldn't have the allergy test until I was a certain age but I don't recall what age that was, sorry! It will likely be quicker to go private for tests if you are happy to do that but again, discuss this with the nurses. They are experienced, knowledgeable and objective.

[Shellc]

If your interested in private allergy testing look up the burghwood Clinic in Banstead Surrey , I had been going there fir years and they kept my asthma under control , you will find cutting wheat and sugar out of the diet a good step , they look into food and inhalant allergies and also shortage of vitamins etc . I really recommend it .

[Jenzzie18 in reply to Shellc]

I’ve heard good things about burghwood clinic and it’s just round the corner for me. I’ve not been myself as most of my testing has been done at St. George’s. Narrowing down allergies can help loads. X

[boxesandplanes]

Thanks. He doesn't have gluten and had a fairly low sugar diet but he's a kid so, that's a hard one to cut out! We've had a private test for some airborne allergens which didn't show anything, but I'm not sure I trust that, it was a blood test. I thought it needed to be a skin pick test?

I really think milk is an issue. The consultant was absolutely adamant they wouldn't test though. I don't understand why not, does anyone know?

I will try the asthma nurses.

[Hidden]

Hi boxesandplanes

Just to add the number for the Asthma UK helpline is 0300 222 5800 (M-F, 9-5) if you need support and advice from specialist asthma nurses.

Hope that helps,

Dita

[boxesandplanes in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Dita_asthmauk , I will call when I can.

[Ginger0606]

I really don’t know why they wouldn’t test him for milk allergy...it’s well known that a milk allergy can cause wheezy chest and snotty nose...I would see a different doctor or kick up a fuss! My daughter has milk allergies, she hasn’t been diagnosed with asthma but has had a bad cough for months now which doesn’t want to go. I am asthmatic and despite not having symptoms for years I am now taking inhalers ever day for shortness of breath after an operation. Good luck.