Any Other Options You Have Tried for a Toddler's Very Severe Asthma?

A.,

I am sorry you are having to go through all this....My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. One thing I would check is to make sure there isn't something in the house (combined with the normal cold) that causes his symptoms. For instance mold, roach dander, etc. I am guessing you might be living in base housing or an older home. You can get home tests for mold etc. I would test for radon in your home too. Meanwhile make sure your heat isn't too high especially when he is sick and keep up your research. One thing that helped me when my kids are sick (silent reflux--not sure what is causing it, we might be on our way to some answers)...is journaling their symptoms, what they did that day, ate that day, etc.

Hang in there!
R.

Hi, A. - Poor little guy! Good luck to you. I hope you get lots of helpful responses. My friend had 3 asthmatic sons. She switched all of her household and personal care products to "green" products, and her sons have not used inhalers in 3 years. She'd be happy to speak with you, I'm sure, as she has made it her mission to help other families avoid what she was going through. Let me know if you'd like more info. Best wishes, N.

I'm not sure where you are located, but we have a pediatric ENT/allergist (specializes in both) at I am totally in love with. He actually listened more than he talked. He's a leader in the area in research as well as treatment. He is located in Rockville, MD. Email me at ____@____.com if you'd like his name. Good luck, I know how terrible it is to have a sick kid that you can't seem to get the treatment right!

Hi A.,

So sorry to hear about your little one. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for all of you. I would definitely recommend finding a homeopathic doctor to help you find a natural regimen. Some things that you might try now are eliminating all toxic cleaning substances from your home. Water and vinegar do a great job on the housework and there are tons of all natural soaps, shampoos, laundry soaps etc available now. The whole family would need to get on board as far as hair & laundry go. My daughter doesn't have asthma but she was sick the entire winter and the her doctor had run out of options for us. I bought some probiotics at Whole Foods and have been giving her one dose a day. The results have been remarkable. Her runny nose cleared up within two days, her cough is almost gone, her sleep returned to normal, her disposition improved and her appetite increased. Amazing. Probiotics (in case you aren't familiar with them) are good bacteria like the kind you find in yogurt. The theory is that since our immune system functions at its best when our gut is populated with healthy bacteria, the more healthy bacteria you put in your system, the better. I just started taking some probiotics myself. I can't speak highly enough of them. As others have posted, an elimination diet might also be useful. A good naturopath or homeopath will be able to guide you through that process. Chiropractic and accupuncture are also wonderful tools for keeping the body's systems in good working order. Best of luck to you and your little boy.

I know it's a long shot, but have you tested to make sure that he is not Vitamin D deficient. One of the leading causes of autoimmune issues is D deficiency.

You might check.

M.

Ask your doctor about Singulair. My 8 yo son was diagnosed with allergy induced asthma at 2 and we had a hard time too - March, july and November were horrible for us unitl he started taking Singulair every day and 2 puffs of Pulmicort inhaler at night and he does great now - still has an occasionally flare up but nothing like it was. Good Luck! B.

I think it is time to try a natural approach to your sons asthma. All those drugs and antibiotics have damaging side effects. Asthma is an allergy symptom. It is much more prevalent in the past 10 years than ever before. I believe this is due to our air pollution and too many chemicals in our environment. To avoid sinus infections take your son off ALL dairy products. They are mucus forming and create an environment for bacteria to grow. Also dairy is the number one food allergy because cows are fed so many chemicals. His health may greatly improve with this one step. Give him daily vitamin C and acidophilus ( the friendly bacteria to replace what he has lost from all the antibiotics.) If the colon loses this friendly bacteria, it weakens one's immune system and puts one in a vicious cycle of illness and drugs. Go to the Vitamin Shoppe or a health food store. Echinacea is a good herb to take to strengthen the immune system. AF

Hi A.,

I hope you find solutions on this board. I recommend that you get rid of all chemicals in your home. Salt, baking soda and vinegar is basically all you need to clean with. If you have carpet, consider getting rid of it. If you have anything that could possible collect dust, put it in a closed container - that includes books, loose papers, fabric, etc. Clean all of your furniture either with a steamer or vacumm with a HEPA filter (gets rid of 98% of particles). Use a HEPA filter on your heating/air conditioning system. Place a HEPA filter on your air vents. Do not use brooms to sweep with as it stirs up dust. Use a damp mop.

Wash linens in hot water once per week. Cover mattress and pillows with a protector to keep dust mites to a minimum. If you have animals remove them from the home.

Mold may be an issue since you live near water. Consider having an enviromental inspector come to your home to test your air for mold spores. If you see anything black spots or water damage anywhere, have it repaired. After you shower or use the tub, wipe down the wet surfaces instead of letting it air dry. This will help reduce mold growth.

Try using a Neti pot to clean his nasal passages. It's uncomfortable and he may not let you do it. It certainly helps me. See if Hyland hayfever, a natural product, will help clear up allergy symptoms.

I wish you well. If you need anymore environemental info, please email via mamasource.

Hi A.,

How awful for your little guy to be suffering from this and not getting any real relief! Does being a Navy wife mean that you have to use Navy doctors? If not, and you can go to a civilian doctor, please contact our allergist. He's incredible, a genius, and has helped my 12 year old son, and 16 year old daughter immensely! His name is Michael Mardiney, III, please contact him at ###-###-#### and tell him N. sent you. When you call, make sure you ask for Michael the 3rd.

The best of luck to you!

I had asthma as a kid. Not quite as severe, but I was hospitalized a couple of times. I've totally outgrown it now. At this point, I carry an inhaler in my purse and never use it. It collects lint and then expires! Allergy shots made a big difference for me. But I think just growing helped. Any chance there's an allergen in the house or nearby that could be triggering symptoms or making them worse? Just a thought. Mostly, I just wanted to give you hope that he may just get through this and be fine. :-)
Hang in there. It's SO hard to see our children sick and struggling and to feel so helpless.

I am just writing to give you some support and a little hope. Both of my boys had what they call "reactive airways," meaning they only had asthmatic symptoms when they were otherwise sick. One was worse than the other. It's really awful to see those little chests heaving as the child struggles to get air! However, both outgrew this by the time they were in their teens. We still have an albuteral puffer in the house but nobody has needed it for years. What I would suggest, tho, is going as green in the house as possible. Get rid of harsh chemicals, any kind of room fresheners or other things that put artificial scents in the house. There are a number of mothers here on this website who sell healthier cleaning products (I use Melaleuca products and vinegar and water to clean my floors). Also, dust mites are a big source of this problem -- we had to make one of my boys get rid of all his stuffed animals that had been sitting on his bed, we only let him keep one. You can get special mattress covers, too, that cut down on dust mites in the mattress. Good luck and have hope!

My business partner's son was the same way. She went the natural route and boosted his immune system. Worked like a charm. Her name is Raquel and her # is ###-###-####. She'll tell you exactly what she did for her little guy. Good luck!

S.
SAHM of 4, ages 8,5,3and1/2, and 18 mos

Hi A.,
I'm so sorry to hear about your little guy. I'm thankful that so far neither of my two....well...you know, I don't like to say it or type it.
I've had discussions on this site and with friends who are in your situation-some not as severe an issue, but yes, some who have a child with such a severe case. I have heard so much about cleaning products in the home and all the chemicals associated with them (whether you use them or they sit in the closet) being such a huge link to breathing problems-especially asthma. Found a news link for you at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaqgxoZdwCY&feature=re.... I use and refer people to Melaleuca. Don't know if you've ever heard of it. They are one fantastic resource for every product you need besides groceries-and diapers-but they have no ammonia or chlorine bleach or formaldehyde-just no harsh chemicals that seem to be such a link to asthma. My friend's daughter hasn't had to have a nebulizer treatment since she converted her home. Is that why? Can't say, but heck, if it helps-and if you haven't already-you've got to get all those products out of your house. Melaleuca is a one stop shopping place to do it and it is certainly cheaper per use than the store brands. I am not trying to sell you a darn thing. I've just learned so much and don't trust any other company for my family's needs. Lysol-registered carcinogen (pesticide). Don't take my word for it, go to the company's ____@____.com you have any other questions, you know where to find me. Good luck with your little one. You're in my prayers.
M.

OMG, sounds like your little guy needs a serious detox treatment !My daughter had respitory issues , when she was 2, we were on Albuterol/Xopenex pretty much every 2 weeks, she woulld wheez and cough all the time, 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off, I finally had enough of that (6month) and happened to visit my home country (Germany) and went to see a Homeopathic (natural medicine) Doctor there, She analyzed my daughter and gave here homepathic detox pellets for 8 weeks and believe it or not, we have not been on a nebulizer since, she will turn 7 soon !!!I have totally switched to Homeopathie, except for Strep throat or sinus infections. There are some Homeopathic doctors around, but you have to pay yourself, which might end up being cheaper , than what you have been through ! The problem with antibiotics, steroids and cortison is, that it will destroy the good bacterias in the colol ,too, and then the immune system is down and if you don't detox and replenish the good bacteria ( there is a treatment for that), your son will constantly get sick again, because he has no good bacteria fighting the bad !!!hope that helps, good luck !!!

A.,
I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this. I agree with the majority of the posts.

I have not been to this particular doctor but I do know that she is a medical doctor who specializes in holistic medicine. Which means... she will look at your son's issues as a whole (not just the lungs or ENT).
Her name is Stephanie Story and she is located in Va Beach. I personally would look to someone like this that is trained in both the traditional medicine and the naturopathic medicine which I believe she is.

Foods can effect the system if the child is allergic or even has intolerances. Cutting out gluten and dairy are very helpful for respiratory issues and digestive issues as well.

Homeopathy works wonders and is very safe and gentle.

Your son will most likely need a detox or a homeopathic remedy such as the one my son took (called silicea) to remove all the toxins that your son will have stored in his system from all the mediciations he has been exposed to. That will also help.

I also second the advice about removing all chemicals in the home including the laundry detergent. Vinegar is an amazing cleaner. I use the seventh generation soaps for my diswasher and the liquid soap but found that my son had some type of reaction to the seventh generation laundry detergent. So, of course you will have to find out what new products work for your family. But by removing the chemicals and the known foods that can contribute to his issues it will help to narrow down the cause.
YOu may also want to change the diet if you haven't already to eating mostly whole foods and minimally processed foods. Organic is best when you can do it. I don't always do organic but if I can and there is a sale I do. Things like bananas don't need to be organic just the thin skinned fruits like apples.
I know this can be very frustrating and heartrenching at times. I may not have experience with the asthma end of it but I have been through my son regressing after a vaccination and finding out that I had to make some major changes to the way we were living. It is a journey but you will be rewarded in the end.
I think it is great that you are looking at alternative medicines to help heal your son. Having an open mind will give you more options with his healing.
I wish you all the best. Please keep us posted.

Again the doctor's name is Stephanie Story.