matchstick

I have been putting her in a steamy bathroom. I have only actually tried to take her to the ER twice, but both times it stopped before we could get very far. Now I just take her into the bathroom and turn on the hot shower. And watch. If it is a panic attack, I can't find a cause for it. The only pattern to them has been that they seem to happen in the evening. I wondered if maybe something hormonal was triggering it. I think I forgot to include in my original post that on a Saturday and Sunday nights she had these episodes and then the following Monday morning woke up with a sore throat, nasal congestion and a fever. She said these episodes had happened "about five times" since last Fall, but she did not tell me about them until that Sunday night. The doctor thinks this infection is exacerbating whatever the underlying problem is. Sorry I don't have time to address all of the questions right now, but I really appreciate all of the replies. I was really wondering about what if next time I just took her to the ER regardless of if the event was still occurring when we got there. It sounds like they do quite a work-up. I just want to find out whatever it is so we can get it treated.

What would your ER do about a 13 year old child brought in to the ER for difficulty breathing, but the episode is over before she can get to the ER? My daughter has recently started having episodes where she says she can't breathe. She has discomfort in her upper chest and throat when this happens and she doesn't feel like she can get a good breath. Our PCP has her scheduled for an asthma nurse appointment and a thyroid ultrasound (in case it is enlarged and putting pressure on her upper airway) but these appointments are two and three weeks down the road. The NP in the office said to take her to the ER if it happens again. Well, it happens every evening sometimes three or four times a night, sometimes just once a night. She put her on a Floradil aerolizer, but no "rescue inhaler". We live about 20-25 minutes from an ER and these episodes last about 5-20 minutes. I started to take her one night, but by the time we got about half way there, it was over. I called the on-call nurse for our PCP and since the acute episode was over and she seemed better, she told me to just watch her. Five minutes after these episodes she seems normal. It is very distressing watching her during one of these episodes and, of course, I am always thinking about what if it doesn't stop this time. I don't work in an ER, but I know what some ER nurses and physicians think of parents who bring in "healthy kids". What, if anything would your ER do if you got my child in your ER after one of these episodes had passed? Our PCP treats me like I am over-reacting to this, but he has never witnessed any of these episodes and I just can't seem to convey to him how scarey these episodes are.