Asthma and sick... What to do?

[Spryte]

Do I need to take DS back in to the doc? He has asthma, and this is my first kiddo with asthma - we have a few years under our belts but I don't have a lot of experience with asthma and colds/flu. He's got a history of pneumonia, and I'm a bit on the paranoid side...

 

DS had a high fever about 10 days ago. It was a holiday weekend, so we figured it was the flu and instituted home care to keep him comfy. Within 2 days, the fever was down, and he was feeling pretty good, so I didn't take him in to the pedi. He had a follow up for asthma anyway, so we took him in - told the doc about the previous weekend and she checked his lungs, etc - said he looked good to go. DS seemed to be recovering well for a few days.

 

3 days ago, he spiked another fever and started coughing. Talking and moaning in his sleep, usually a sign of asthma issues for him. I worried about pneumonia since he'd been recovering and then suddenly spiked a fever, and took him to an urgent care on Sunday. Doc said his lungs sounded clear, pulse ox was 95 - 98. She said to take him home and keep an eye on it. As long as the fever is trending down, not up, not to worry. Other than the pulse ox, she ran no tests.

 

But here we are now... Our nights consist of neb treatments, and endless coughing and wheezing. He feels a bit better during the day, but he looks sick :( and he is not acting like himself. I know it could be that he had the flu, and it just takes a long time to recover. But I don't want to miss something important, and I'd feel better if he saw his regular pedi, I think. Is that paranoid of me?

 

Asthma mommies, what would be your feeling on this?

[Carol in Cal.]

Go in. He probably needs steroids. (I have asthma)

[Joker]

I would be worried and probably have him checked out. Do you see an allergist or just a regular dr/ped? Whenever my asthma girl gets sick she usually needs steroids in addition to the inhaler/neb treatments. If she was still having trouble as long your dc, our allergist would be changing her preventative meds if the above didn't work.

[Woodhaven]

Yes, he probably needs steroids. My youngest has asthma. I watch his breathing and listen to wheezing. If he is breathing fast, I take him in. If he is not acting like himself, I take him in.

 

Once I waited too long and they took him by ambulance from urgent care. Nights are usually the worst!! Since I know it always gets worse at night, I take my ds in during the day when he is struggling. It can change SO fast!

[J-rap]

Is he on any kind of a preventative -- such as Advair? If conditions were just right (or wrong, really!) and the inhaler didn't seem to do much anymore, my girls would sometimes need to go on a preventative, especially during certain seasons of the year. The inhaler addresses spasms but the preventative addresses the inflammation; sometimes you need both.

 

If it's dire, my girls have gone on prednisone for a few days to quickly bring down the inflammation.

 

I think I'd trust your instinct and bring him in again. Can you bring him to an allergy/asthma specialist?

 

I would know it was more urgent for my girls when they had dark shadows under their eyes, they clearly lacked energy, and their lips and fingers were numb or tingly. (Or of course, if breathing became too difficult!)

[charcat13]

I have asthma and dealt with this just yesterday. I'm going to agree with others that he probably needs steroids. They are helping me out a ton right now.

[wapiti]

Adding to the chorus. Steroids, plus another listen for pneumonia. If his fever isn't gone now after 3 days, I'd be thinking pneumonia.

 

Aside from that, I'd make an appointment with an asthma specialist for long-term care, which may include daily inhaled steroids.

[Spryte]

Thanks. I called and got him the soonest available appt - which is tomorrow morning. I will watch him like a hawk tonight and if we have to ER it, we will, but I certainly hope not.

 

He does have an asthma specialist (that's who we saw last week), and takes two preventatives daily. I could call the specialist, but was planning to take him to his local pedi. His pedi also has asthma, and has been very good with his care whenever it overlaps with asthma. She's also a 5 minute drive rather than an hour. :)

 

Thanks for the validation. I really felt like the Urgent Care doc kind of blew us off on Sunday...

[Mrs Mungo]

Is he on any kind of a preventative -- such as Advair? If conditions were just right (or wrong, really!) and the inhaler didn't seem to do much anymore, my girls would sometimes need to go on a preventative, especially during certain seasons of the year. The inhaler addresses spasms but the preventative addresses the inflammation; sometimes you need both.

 

If it's dire, my girls have gone on prednisone for a few days to quickly bring down the inflammation.

 

I think I'd trust your instinct and bring him in again. Can you bring him to an allergy/asthma specialist?

 

I would know it was more urgent for my girls when they had dark shadows under their eyes, they clearly lacked energy, and their lips and fingers were numb or tingly. (Or of course, if breathing became too difficult!)

 

 

I agree. Does your urgent care clinic have the ability to do a chest x-ray? If not, then I would go to the ER.

[Spryte]

I agree. Does your urgent care clinic have the ability to do a chest x-ray? If not, then I would go to the ER.

 

Yes, the Urgent Care we went to on Sunday has X Ray capability. They didn't do one, though, and said they didn't think it was necessary because his lungs sounded clear. I would have preferred to have one done.

 

I have an appt for him to go in in the morning - he'll see his pedi, who knows his history well.

 

He does have preventative meds - 2 of them daily, plus a daily allergy med. He saw his asthma doc last week when all this started - but before I felt this concerned. She's an hour away, or we'd have hopped in the car to see her already.

 

I will watch him like a hawk tonight, and get him seen by the pedi in the morning, I just wish they'd have gotten him in today and we didn't have to do another night like last night. If I see any signs that he needs help, will take him to the ER.

 

To add to the fun, our little one has just spiked a fever, too. These things always seem to happen when DH is overseas. Blech.

[Carol in Cal.]

Sometimes the preventative meds are not strong enough. He might need a round of prednisone tablets.

[prairiewindmomma]

Another vote for steroids. We are about a decade in to dealing with kids with asthma. Our ped asthma doc has us keep steroids on hand so that we can start immediately when needed. They take about 12 hrs to kick in.