Viral Wheeze..

Hi, my son had a wheezing episode just after he turned 3, the doctors said it was a viral induced wheeze.. he spent a night in hospital using salbutamol every hour and he was put on steroid tablets until he was recovered enough the next day to be sent home. We were told he may not get it again, or he may develop asthma, and were given an inhaler and spacer to take home. I didn't think it would happen again, but a few months later we were in the same situation again, another cold, more wheezing. Now every time he has a cold (which seems to be most of the time) he has a wheeze and we have to use his inhaler.

To be honest I didn't think it was very serious and perhaps haven't been as worried or as vigilant as I should have been and he has had to visit the doctors for emergency appointments several times since. We weren't given much information by the hospital, they seemed to just assume we knew what we were doing, but I've never had a wheeze, I've never known anyone with asthma even.

Basically I'm very unsure using the inhaler.. can I give him too much? Will it harm him if he gets too much? Do I give it him when he needs it regardless and call the doctor if he needs it lots? Or only use it as much as the docs recommended and call if he needs more? I can't hear a wheeze he just gets tired, even though I'm told he's wheezing by the doctors.. so how do I know when to give him his inhaler? He's still not quite at the age where he can tell me how he's feeling yet..

Also where does the viral wheeze end and the asthma begin? And to be honest what's the difference... is the virus a trigger for his asthma, or is the viral wheeze something different altogether? He's ill so often I can't tell wether the coughing is because of his cold, or a sign of asthma. He doesn't run around much like other children and he tires very quickly.. is this asthma? Last time I took him to see a doctor about his wheeze they told me to take him back when he didn't have a cold so they could assess him for asthma because he might benefit from a preventer.. but he's ALWAYS got a cold!

I feel very out of my depth with this, and when I ask the doctors they look at me as if should already know it all, but no one has explained any of this stuff to me and I feel a bit lost, so any guidance or advice anyone can offer would be great.

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hi loopylou

sounds like you would defo benefit from speaking with the asthma nurses from AsthmaUK - number on top left of page (0800 121 62 44)

i have found them to be helpful, informative and supportive

also navigate the website, as well as have a look to see what publications that Asthmauk do which could be helpful for you.

it maybe helpful for you to write down a list of questions for your gp and arrange an appt to talk with them - is there one in particular you feel you can talk too? understanding gp who u can express your concerns too?

depending on your child's symptoms, you may give the blue inhaler - via spacer - when you think he is having trouble with his breathing. as you say he may not have a wheeze,to you but gp says he does, this may not always be present, but he may have other symptoms. if you are unsure, you can always check with gp. but as you well know maternal instinct is strong so trust your instincts.

if you child is having frequent symptoms of wheeze, then your gp should have already started preventer and that will help reduction in symptoms, hopefully, so that you will find the need to give the blue inh reduce...

generally a diagnosis of asthma cannot be confirmed until the age of 2 and above, but can be assumed earlier age with freqeuency of wheezy episodes etc... and based on family history of asthma, hayfever, eczema, and allergies and response to asthma treatment and steroids.

hope this info helps

x x x

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Thank goodness someone else is feeling as out of their depth as I am!

My son is 10 and gets frequent colds that 90% of the time go to his chest. We're not the kind of family that goes rushing to the GP all the time, so for several years I've left it a week to see what'll happen - and it's got better by itself all but 4 times.

I took him to the GP a month ago and was told he had an upper respiratory chest infection and a viral wheeze. Like you, the GP seemed to think I should know what a viral wheeze is and what the implications are. Erm - no. The doc was quite insistent though that I should take Son to GP whenever he has a chest infection.

Anyway, a short course of steroids later and he was fine.

For 3 weeks.

Then he had a sniffle over the weekend which was a chest infection (wheeze/crackle) by Wednesday. Thursday morning I took him to the GP. Saw a different doc who listened to his chest, did the thingy-on-the-finger that measures blood oxygen and baldly said ""He has asthma"".

You could have floored me! And then GP seemed to think that, a brief chat about triggers (smoking, pets, dust, pollen) and a leaflet would do the trick. He gave us an inhaler and shooed us out the door.

Well, the thing is, Son only gets the wheeze & cough when he's already got a cold/chest infection. Like you I don't know how to tell the difference! How do we know when Son should take the inhaler and when he should just sit down and rest for 5 mins..... so many questions!

We go back to the GP this week (once the latest chest infection is hopefully gone) and I don't even know what the doc's going to do then. All he said was ""I'll see you in a week"" - when I asked what for the doc looked at me as though I'm a total idiot. Said something about tests and then hospital tests ""if I really want them"" to determine triggers.

All I have is questions. I feel bewildered and plain stupid. And very, very worried about letting my son down by not helping him understand & manage this condition cos I don't understand it myself.

Anyway, I ramble!! My main point is we're clearly not alone. Hopefully things will get better and we'll all get more confident and adept at managing the asthma.

x

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'Viral Wheeze..

Hi, I have a seven year old daughter who has 'Viral Asthma', it started approx 18 months ago and she now takes Singulair pills 'Montelucast' she also takes her brown preventer inhaler at night and her blue inhaler when she is very wheezy or before doing any PE at school, she is getting better, she is just getting over a chest infection the second this year but they seem to be less serious. I went to our family gp and he sent her to a pediatric doctor at the hospital and she goes every three months, I at least feel they are taking it seriously and this makes us as parents feel better and more able to cope.

Good luck and keep on at your gp to refer your son to a specialist in the Asthma field.

Take Care L