children with asthma

[b eyes]

Hi. I am just looking for some support, insight, anything there is to offer in the way of asthma in children. My son was diagnosed at a year and a half old. He has had some pretty serious exacerbations with asthma, hospitalized many times. he is now 7 years old. Yesterday at school, the school nurse called me at work and told me to come and get him, he was all but gasping for breath. His asthma has always been exacerbated by URI, and seeing as he was healthy when he left in the morning, this was the last thing I expected. Can asthma present itself any way, react to anything that it previously did not react too? It scares me. he takes advair, albuterol, and unfortunately prednisone is also his friend. Wondering if anybody has a child with asthma and what it has been like for you.

b eyes

[TazziRN, RN]

My children are not asthmatic but I am. Even things like stress can set me off, I don't need an environmental or medical reason to wheeze. Is there something happening at school that may have scared him?

Schools.....chalk......chalk dust....that can be a factor too.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

asthma can present for many reasons, stress, weather, enviromental it is more a case of being aware of triggers and then watching out for them. My asthma played up a bit last night and I had to use my salbutamol for the first time in over 12 months and not sure why it flared up but it quickly settled and OK this morning

[DDRN4me]

There could be many triggers as previous posters have said. Has he been tested for allergies? I have had quite a few kiddos who have allergies to dust or mold ..both of which are in some schools . It could have also beemn stress or the weather or he may be starting a cold or something. )))hugs to both of you.. hope the triggers are identified ))))

[wannabemw]

I have to agree... having a daughter that is a "FORMER" Brittle asthmatic & now is a moderate asthmatic. What worked? She went on allergy shots & w/in 6m our lives changed! We used to go to ER no less than 1x/m + not to forget the numerous dr. visits, specialist, tests & hospitalizations...

If you need to talk PM me. I understand very well what u r going thru!

But I have to say: CALL AN ASTHMA & ALLERGY SPECIALIST TODAY! We now live w/o loads of prednisone & w/o having to carry a portable neb, & she is down to 4 meds (3 of them daily when she's worse; 2 anti-inflammatory & 1 allergy pill). The kicker: she is a CO2 retainer & was undx as a CO2 retainer for years. (Dx of asthma was at age 3y though).

~MJ

[Pedsccrn]

B eyes-

Feel for you girl. After a year and a half of Bronchiolitis dx after birth, my daughter's MD finally dx her with asthma. We too went through frequent ER visits, albuterol nebs, and prednisone. Although, your son might have food and other allergies that trigger, my daughters' seem to be linked more to lack of sleep, too much sugar, and environmental factors. However, I will say that she has not had an exacerbation in the 2 years that we have lived in our newly built home with tile floors. We had carpet before that, and it seemed she was always getting ill. Might be something to think about. It worked for us, anyway. Hope he's better.

[lovejana22]

my daughter is an asthmatic and also with sever allergies. as of right now she is on singulair and an inhaler. we have an appointment next week at the allergist to run more test. with her i notice if she plays outside during a certain part of the day is when it gets worse. she always sleeps with a humidifier on, and i dust regularly. when we would go to my older daughters school she would also have attacks. this year her teacher has a dry erase board and the last time we went my 3 year old was fine! we are also always on edge about things. good luck