Advice on Treatment of Asthma

My son is almost 6 and was diagnosed with asthma a year ago.
our treatment plan
1. singular which is a pill at bedtime
2. flovent inhaler twice a day with optichamber
3. flonase once a day
4. albuterol is our emerency inhaler

5. I know his triggers are cleaning supplies so I changed to all green cleaning supplies, cats, dogs and when he has a cold.
Email me if you want to vent somemore... This is a difficult one ____@____.com

1 mom found this helpful

Hi J.,

I didn't have time to read any responses and I am sure you have received many.

I wanted to share this with you though.

Our son was having problems with asthma too. He was a bit older (middle school) but what we found was it was the products we were using in our home everyday.

It was everything from the laundry soap, to the cleaning products in our home, the clothes on his back! I switched everything and added some supplements to his diet. He's 21 and he hasn't had an asthma attack since 2000.

If you want to know more about the products, let me know!

I know they have helped not only my peace of mind, but my pocket book too! Our son was on the nebulizer, the inhalers, the meds, the other meds to counter what the meds did. We had a hepa filter in his room, mettress encasements, pillow encasements, you name it! We tried it!

And we simply switched what we were buying and he hasn't had any problems at all!

God Bless!

J.

1 mom found this helpful

See a pediatric pulmonologist.

Yes, Yes. I am a Nurse Practitioner and I agree that she should see a pulmonologist. Allergy testing may not be necessary. I would recommend over the counter Zyrtec (or generic brand) daily first (to save a trip and a $300 bill). Talk to your pharmacist or doctor about the dosing. It is a non-drowsy antihistamine for allergies.
RSV has caused some damage to her lungs that she may eventually out grow but you should just assume that she has asthma and treat it aggressively. Definitely use the "preventer" inhaler as prescribed and the "rescue" inhaler if she is couging more at night or wheezing at all.

I would 100% go to a pulmonary Doctor. My son at a yr old had 3 bad Astma attacks that ended him in the hospital. After the 2nd one his Dr sent us to the Pulmonary DR. He has only had one since then and he is now 2yr. The Dr we see believes that the parents know their children and give you the meds to treat the systoms before they are attacks. So you can keep your kid out of the DR or Hospital.
We go to the Children's Respiratory and Critical care, and see DR. Kurachek
They have offices near the Childrens Hospital and one in Minnetonka. They have Nurses you can talk to 24/7 and even get the DR cell phone number. So you always have a way to reach someone. ###-###-####
Going there has really help control his astma.
Good luck,
K.

Go to a pulmonologist! That will make a world of difference. And, not all kids grow out of asthma. I have had it since I was a child - it never went away. Good luck! It sounds like you've been on a rough road. You really need to get your daughter on some kind of preventative care right away. And, asthma is affected by the seasons and other triggers, so it will be good for you to know those.

I would definately take her to a pulmonologist. I, myself had the same type of problems your daughter is having. I got worse in the fall and in the winter. I finally seeked out a pulmonologist, he prescribed different medications for me, and I have been great ever since...that was two years ago. Pulmonologist is the best route.

J. - Don't know if you're open to chiropractic care, but I would highly recommend trying it. I live in the south metro and would highly recommend several different chiropractors in this area if you are interested.

You may also want to start her on a round of probiotics to help replace the good bacteria in her system so that her body can help fight wants going on.

D.

Oh boy, does this sound familiar! My son who was born in Feb of 2002 had a lot of the same things you are talking about. He didn't EVER get better until I switched pediatricians, and he got referred to a Pulmonologist. I am willing to bet that your daughter has never fully recovered from any of her episodes, which is why she gets sick again so soon. That can lead to scar tissue, making it impossible for her to "grow" out of it and give her a lifetime of respiratory issues to deal with. The absolute best Pediatric Pulmonologist in the DSM area is Dr. Scott Sheets. His clinic is at Blank Children's Hospital downtown. Put it this way...my son was in the ER all the time, admitted for nights at a time for asthma, until he was 2 1/2. That is when we started seeing a new pediatrician (Dr William Salow of Mercy peds-amazing dr) and seeing Dr Sheets. My son has not EVER been to the ER or the Urgent Care clinic for his asthma once since!!! We have an asthma action plan now that we follow to a T. We avoid known triggers. Not only is Dr Sheets wonderful, but the best is that he spends a good hour with you at each visit to know your childs symptoms, to educate, and to follow up and make sure you leave armed with the right tools to help your child with his/her asthma or reactive airway and so you know exactly what is going on and why it is SO important to be very proactive with this disease. Having a good dr that you can get your questions answered, who isn't just in a rush to get you out the door-is a true blessing! I can call our dr and even talk to him directly at times, the nurses are wonderful too! For my son, Fall is the worst season for him & then Winter is a close 2nd. He also has allergies bad, so he is on daily allergy meds and also takes Singulair to help with allergies and asthma. We've dealt with this since he was 2 months old, and today at nearly 7 yrs-we think he is showing signs of growing out of it. I owe that all to my child's wonderful doctors. Whatever you do, I would definitely get a different pediatrician and ABSOLUTELY see a pediatric pulmonologist. GOOD LUCK!!

Hi J..
Say- I agree with Krystie.
Both.
And if you're wanting to try some alternatives- I know someone who had 4 children in your position and she put her kids on our kids nutrition plus something called schizandra and roseox and they are now free of hospitals and nebs.
She cries everytime she tells about it.
I can get you her story via email if you want to email me ____@____.com
Make sure you use momsource in subject so I know to open it.

Merry Christmas- keep treating and blessings in 2009.

About me: 48 yo perfusionist, wellness coach and mom to 7 yo twin girls.

B. J

I have 3 sons with asthma, the oldest is 13. I once thought the same thing, why isn't my son's asthma getting better? It actually is that a virus can set off the asthma. So, if you have a really bad season of tons of colds, and respiratory bugs, and flu it can make it seem the asthma is worsening. Also, maybe there's been an environmental change: a pet at a friends' house, or cold air, or a dusty classroom, stuffed animals in the bedroom, dust mites on the pillow. Anything. We really saw improvement when we switched to a pulmonary specialist, at the asthma/allergy clinic at the Children's Hospital. Big difference in preventive vs reactive care. Good luck.

J.,

My daughter, who is now almost nine, has something similar to this. She was diagnosed with "reactive airway" which I have been told is the same as asthma. She also has an inhaler but only uses it when needed. I have noticed that there are certain times of the year where she needs it more. I have chalked it up to the fact that she seems to have some allergies. So in the spring and fall her breathing is worse and she uses the inhaler more. Last fall she had pnuemonia twice due the breathing issues. I think next fall, with my Dr.'s advice, I will try something preventative in late summer, like claritin or zyrtec, to see if that helps. I have not noticed that she has gotten better with age but was also told it was something she would grow out of.

Continue the meds AND see a pulmonary doc. Then another pulmonary doc if that doc doesn't do or find anything. Then another. I don't think this is normal for asthema, but have no clue what it could be.

Good luck!

I wouldn't stop her meds, because it sounds like she needs them. I would consult a pulmonary doctor or an allergist.

Essential oils are another great option! You can take them internally (via a capsule) or apply to the bottoms of the feet. Some oils would be Frankincense and Thieves!

I would consult a pulmonary Dr. as well. It never hurts to get a second opinion. My daughter had RSV at 11 days old and was hospitalized for 3 1/2 weeks (2 1/2 weeks in the PICU and one week on the regular floor.) Her left lung partially collasped she had a line put in her thigh, was on a ventilator had a feeding tube in and a blood transfusion. The pulmonary doctor that she saw for 2 years after said she could become (exercise and sports induced asthma). She is now 3 1/2 years old and is doing very well. We have had some issues here and there with colds and having to put her on antibiotics but all and all she is doing very well. So your daughter may not be getting worse but after having the virus she may be asthmatic. I would make an appointment with a pulmonary doctor to get a second opinion.

-Amanda

Yes, see a pediatric pulmonologist. Our son has been seeing one for 8 years and it's made a huge difference in the control of his mild asthma. We see a doctor at Children's Respiratory and they see patients in Minnetonka, Minneapolis and St. Paul. Let me know if you have any questions. She may also have allergies, which is why she is getting worse and not better. You might also want to take her to an allergist if you haven't already done that. Once you get the allergies under control the asthma may get better too. Keep her on all of her prescribed medications until you get in to see the specialists. Good luck.

Hi J. - I am no doctor but my son has mild asthma and he's 7. Sometimes its better and when he gets a cold it gets worse. I think since your daughter had RSV she might always have trouble. To keep my son at his 'best' he uses his pulmicort inhaler once every day and that really helps. Read as much as you can about asthma. It's not something that gets better. It's always there, but it is manageable. Good luck and ask your peds doctor tons of questions.