Asthma-related question, I think...

[Pretty in Pink]

Background: My 7yo has asthma that originally manifested after a bought of croup at age 4.

 

I took my 2yo to the ER in late July or early August with croup-like symptoms. It came on suddenly, as croup does, at 4 a.m. one morning. ER doc diagnosed croup after listening to my description of the events and listening to my child breath. No cultures were taken.

 

In the past few weeks my 2yo has awakened several nights with asthma-like symptoms. He sounds like he is having a mild asthma attack. He's not turning blue (I check lips, nail beds, and general skin tone). His breathing returns to normal after 15 to 20 minutes. This has also happened several times during the late afternoon/evening. There have been at least 5 incidences during the last two weeks.

 

He doesn't have a cold, fever, cough, runny nose, etc. He is perfectly normal at all times except for these short periods in which he wheezes.

 

I am wondering if I should take him to the doctor. I am wondering if he has RAD or asthma. I am worried that one of these nights the episode will be worse and he will need medication. I am worried that his doctor will say that he is too young to test for asthma or RAD.

 

Advice? I know there is a vast wealth of knowledge and experience on this board.

 

ETA: I have been running a humidifier in his room at night for the past two weeks, if that is relevant.

[secular_mom]

*I* would take my child to the Dr. and tell him everything you've said here.

[Gratia271]

I would take him to the doctor.

[Mrs Mungo]

Background: My 7yo has asthma that originally manifested after a bought of croup at age 4.

 

I took my 2yo to the ER in late July or early August with croup-like symptoms. It came on suddenly, as croup does, at 4 a.m. one morning. ER doc diagnosed croup after listening to my description of the events and listening to my child breath. No cultures were taken.

 

In the past few weeks my 2yo has awakened several nights with asthma-like symptoms. He sounds like he is having a mild asthma attack. He's not turning blue (I check lips, nail beds, and general skin tone). His breathing returns to normal after 15 to 20 minutes. This has also happened several times during the late afternoon/evening. There have been at least 5 incidences during the last two weeks.

 

He doesn't have a cold, fever, cough, runny nose, etc. He is perfectly normal at all times except for these short periods in which he wheezes.

 

I am wondering if I should take him to the doctor. I am wondering if he has RAD or asthma. I am worried that one of these nights the episode will be worse and he will need medication. I am worried that his doctor will say that he is too young to test for asthma or RAD.

 

Advice? I know there is a vast wealth of knowledge and experience on this board.

 

ETA: I have been running a humidifier in his room at night for the past two weeks, if that is relevant.

 

Our pulmonologist has said the humidifiers do more harm than good. He most certainly is not too young for tests. My son could do a Pulmonary Function Test when he was around 6. It might not even be asthma, there are many disorders that could cause those symptoms-asthma, severe reflux, sleep apnea, allergies, etc. I'd see a doctor and ask to be referred to a pediatric pulmonogist and an allergist.

[Unicorn.]

*I* would take my child to the Dr. and tell him everything you've said here.

 

:iagree:

[Pretty in Pink]

Okay. I am calling first thing in the morning.

 

He had an episode of wheezing this evening that lasted approximately twenty minutes. His breathing seemed to return to normal, but I was tickling him at bedtime and when he breathed in very deeply I could still hear the wheezing. I'm not going to sleep well tonight.

[lisamarie]

My DS has had asthma problems since he was 2. My nephew since he was 1-2 yrs (fuzzy on that one since he doesn't live near me). The worst time of the year for my DS is fall. The weeds from early fall and the mold from the wet leaves in the later fall just about kill him. He takes singulair year round, but in the fall I have to add in zyrtec and flonase just to keep him from having to use his inhaler 3-4 times a day. The rest of the year we may use his inhaler 3 times total.

 

He started out at age 2 just getting wheezy after playing outside in the late summer evenings and then when I would go to put him to bed, he would be coughing a dry cough. I didn't think anything of it since I had no experience with asthma. Then one day in the fall, he was coughing really bad and I called my FIL who is a Dr to see if he had any cough medicine I could give my DS. FIL came over and said he was having a full blown asthma attack and gave him some prednisone. I took him to the allergist who diagnosed him with asthma.

[Sandra in FL]

I would take him to the doctor and ask for albuterol and epipen just for my peace of mind. Have medication on hand - the ER is too far away. There are few things worse than watching your child struggle to breathe.

[Carol in Cal.]

If it's from allergies, it can get worse kind of quickly. Do you have albuterol in the house? They don't call it a 'rescue' drug for nothing. Also, do you have a mask-type machine for it?

 

I think that going over all this with the doctor would be a really good idea. Honestly, it doesn't sound like a serious case, but asthma can get worse pretty suddenly and you want to be prepared just in case, and also to nip this in the bud before it really takes hold.

[Mrs Mungo]

I would take him to the doctor and ask for albuterol and epipen just for my peace of mind. Have medication on hand - the ER is too far away. There are few things worse than watching your child struggle to breathe.

 

What good would an epipen do in a case like this? I ask because I'm genuinely curious. My son has a pretty serious lung issue and an epipen has never been discussed, since he doesn't have allergies. I have various inhalers and steroids on hand, but not an epipen.

[Pretty in Pink]

If it's from allergies, it can get worse kind of quickly. Do you have albuterol in the house? They don't call it a 'rescue' drug for nothing. Also, do you have a mask-type machine for it?

 

Yes, I have albuterol respules and a nebulizer as well as an albuterol inhaler and a spacer. I could use it if I had to. I just wasn't sure about dosages on little ones or if it would harm him if he doesn't really need it...

 

Why an epipen? I thought that was just for allergies (which he may have, IDK, though there are no diagnosed allergies in our immediate or extended family and my 7yo has been tested).

 

He was up last night off and on and had lots of mucous. He finally slept a bit between 7 and 9 this morning. I'm taking him in at 1 p.m.

[rwilliams]

My son was continously dx with croup when he was two. The Pediatrician was going in circles. After much book reading and research, I scheduled an appointment with a Pediatric Allergist who just happened to have been a regular Pediatrician for 20 years. Absolutely no problems after that visit and following his program which was more preventative. No more asthma/croup episodes, less colds/running noses in general. At age 4, I stopped the meds after talking with regular Pediatrician with still no further problems. He is now 9. I have found that the Pediatricians are not very skilled at effectively treating asthma type issues and seem reluctant to refer to Allergists.

[Carol in Cal.]

Yes, I have albuterol respules and a nebulizer as well as an albuterol inhaler and a spacer. I could use it if I had to. I just wasn't sure about dosages on little ones or if it would harm him if he doesn't really need it...

 

Why an epipen? I thought that was just for allergies (which he may have, IDK, though there are no diagnosed allergies in our immediate or extended family and my 7yo has been tested).

 

He was up last night off and on and had lots of mucous. He finally slept a bit between 7 and 9 this morning. I'm taking him in at 1 p.m.

 

Poor little guy!

 

So, I'm not a doctor, but have quite a bit of experience with this, unfortunately.

Albuterol can raise heart rate, which is not so great if you overdose.

OTOH, it's the only thing I know of that can widen almost blocked air passages when someone is on the verge of being completely unable to breathe. The idea is to administer it, get to the point of stability, and then head to the doctor, the ER, or an ambulance, depending on how serious the attack is and whether you are absolutely certain you can prevent it from coming back. So when you're using it like that, it's because you have a breathing crisis on your hands.

 

Check with your doctor for symptoms. It's hard with a two year old who can't talk very well. One thing that is VERY serious is if his skin is pulling in between his ribs when he tries to inhale. If his clutches his chest or says that it hurts, that's pretty bad, too. Maybe you can get a stethascope and get educated in what to listen for--I have never done that, but I hear that some parents do. Checking for blue lips or nails--that's a very serious symptom as well--you don't want to let it get that far.

 

But really, he doesn't sound that bad. Just be ready to intervene if it ever gets that way.

[Murmer]

Take him in...get a Pulminologist or Allergists referral...my dd was diagnosed at 2 with Allergy induced asthma...I still spent the day with her at the hospital 4 weeks ago and it was terrifying.

 

My ds has always been a respritory kid...every cold make him have a hard time breathing...I have spent 16 months trying to convince the doctors that he was not "normal" in his cold reactions...they didn't believe me until I brought him in 2 weeks ago with major breathing distress...he now has an asthma action plan and while not techniquelly diagnosed with asthma it means that I will be taken seriously when I call because he is reacting during a cold.

 

So take him in and start the process...I recommend making an appt close the time he usually has a problem then maybe they can see what is happening or video tape it (another strategy I have be using to help drs see what is going on)

[TX Bluebonnet]

Sounds like allergy induced asthma to me. If it is happening only at night then something in his room might be causing it. Ask the dr to test for dust mite allergy. I would stop the humidifier, that will cause your dust mite population to explode, not to mention mold. We have wood floors, air filter in ds's room, dust mite proof covers on his mattress and pillow case, no curtains.

[LizzyBee]

I'm glad you are taking him in. Before and after a wheezing incident, there can be inflammation in the breathing passages, and the inflammation is what causes permanent lung damage. Therefore, it's important to medicate until the inflammation is cleared up, not just until the wheezing stops. One of my sisters had permanent lung damage by the time she was 17 yo because her asthma was undertreated, and she died from asthma at 49 yo, so I take this very seriously with my dd who has asthma. My dh has been having an asthma attack that led to pneumonia for the past 6 wks, and I am trying to convince him to ditch the family dr and go to a pulmonologist.

[Pretty in Pink]

So, we are home. The physician prescribed Claritin for the runny nose and an albuterol inhaler and spacer in case of emergency. She listened and said his lungs sound clear but she could hear tightness in his upper respiratory tract. She asked me to follow up once his runny nose clears.