Asthma - Yorkville,IL

I've had asthma since I was a child. Lots of times when I got a cold, it would then go to my lungs and make me wheeze. The changing weather always triggered my asthma, as well as exercise (running around a lot as a child). Using an inhaler (albuterol) before exercise helps prevent an attack for me. In cold weather I always needed a scarf over my mouth and nose to warm the air. Also allergies triggered it, for me it was pet allergies or dust.

Asthma is well-controlled with the right medicine. I know people whose kids use nebulizers which I hear work well for little kids who can't use an inhaler. Good luck with the specialist.

Hi Debbie,
One of my dearest friends,Laura,her daughter has asthma really bad. So bad that she in the past has been hospitilized. I know that Laura was told by her daughter's doctor to rid her house of toxins like bleach,phosphates,amonia etc. because that could very well be what is contributing to the flare ups and also the cause!
Laura, followed the doctors advise and and Olivia,her daughter,has been symptom free for almost a year! I hope that helps! How are you holding up through all of this? It must be hard! If you need any other advise I would love to help!
E.

Asthma is an irritation to the airways caused by a bunch of different things. I'd bet allergies are a trigger for your daughter. They're learning all kinds of new things these days. My doc told me they've linked it to acid reflux, of all things. There are many triggers like cold air & drinks, getting sick, allergens, etc. See the specialist & find out what they think, they're the pros. :) I know that I put it off a long time for myself & am sorry I did. They have great meds that reduce inflammation & allow you to live a very normal life despite asthma. They said when I heal more I'll be able to exercise like a normal person again!

Good luck to your daughter!
D.

Hi Debbie...
My 5yr old daughter has allergies and asthma. Alot of times asthma goes hand in hand with allergies. This is usually a bad time of the year (Spring and Fall) for flair ups.

Asthma is a very serious condition, but can be controlled with the right medicine. My daughter has had to take nebulizer treatments since she was 6 mos old. Now she takes an inhaler when she has the first sign of a problem. (coughing, wheezing).
She also has taken a steriod treatment numerous times, and also a preventitive medicine (pulmocort). Depending how bad your daughter has it, the specialist may put her on that as well.

It can be a very scary thing, as it deals with thier breathing, but it is usually controllable. Pay close attention to your daughter, if her wheezing gets worse, or if she is having any signs of having trouble breathing do not hesitate to contact her Dr. or go to the ER.

If her wheezing does not get better within a few days contact her Dr. (wheezing causes scar tissue on the lungs).

I hope I haven't scared you, I just want to share the information that I have learned over the last 4 1/2 yrs.
If you want to contact me you are welcome to do so!

Good luck and God bless!

J.

Hi Debbie,

Asthma is not a constant condition. She will not always cough or have the wheezing. This does not mean that it's not asthma. Also, the reason it happens when she has a cold is that her airway is already irritated, inflamed, and the dripping of mucous into the lungs can cause attacks, as can the congestion that comes with a cold.

It sounds like she absolutely DOES have it, and you should get her to an allergist right away. Have her tested to find out what she is allergic to, eliminate these things from your home environment, get an air cleaner, keep the a/c on in the hot weather, change your furnace filters often and bathe her before bed every night. Make sure you change her sheets at LEAST weekly and wash them in very very hot water.

I know it seems like a lot but these things will prevent some attacks and make the ones she gets less severe.

The steroids are good and so is the inhaler. USE THEM.

15 years ago I had pneumonia and they put me on every steroid medication on the planet. Over the last few years I've found that some of the meds create problems that did not exist. I have eliminated all but a small dose of prednisone. (I also have emphysema)

The single best way to deal with asthma is to eliminate the "triggers" -
Pets, cigarette smoke, mildew, mold, dust.
Make a safe room for her. Wash toys and stuffed animals or put them in the freezer occassionally. Vacuum vacuum vacuum and CHANGE THE BAG.
When an attack starts, I look for the trigger not the steroids.

Our doctors make a habit of treating symptoms with increasingly expensive medicines and never bother with prevention or cures. It's a profitable business model but no way to run health care.

Wow I cannot believe how quick these doctors are with steroids and drugs. I have been living abroad for several years and many times when I read these things on here I cannot believe the stage thing have reached back home.
Many times colds last more than a week especially if you are constantly trying to supress the symptoms with medicines be they over the counter or prescribed (not saying you are but many do). The body does have ways of healing itself, but if people do not allow it to do its work it cannot heal itself. I just went through wine flu, myself and my 2 youngest daughters (11 & 13) no medicines other than tylenol when the fever got too high (approaching 104). The doctors have told me is was great that we did that a they will now have immunities to not get it again and also help them if the swine flu mutates to a new form). Not scarey, but did take a long time nearly 2 weeks to feeling 100% again. Just my opinion but too many people are so quick to reach for the drugs which in the long run isn't the best way.
That all said yes I know people who have asthma and it can be very serious, it just seems every child in the US is now diagnosed with an ailment or 2.

My son is 2 1/2 and has asthma. It could be attributed to seasonal allergies. He has mild allergies. His ususally flairs up when he has a cold. It flairs up worse in the fall/winter, too. That's when we keep an eye on it most. He has a nebulizer that he uses which is nice, because he's a little too little to be using an inhaler, and he doesn't have symptoms all the time.

Is there a history of asthma in your family? The root cause will either be genetic or environmental, so if there's no family history, then one can deduce it to be environmental.

I know MANY families with asthmatic members who saw improvements in the affected person's symptoms when all chemicals were removed from the home. I have a very informative CD on the topic if you'd like me to send you copy--if so, message me your mailing address.

Best wishes! I hope you are able to narrow down the source and find a safe, effective solution.

With both my kids, they would have lingering coughs for weeks after a cold and occasionally get pneumonia. My dr. said you have to have two wheezing episodes to get the asthma diagnosis. Something that I heard you really to not want for school and insurance reasons. Whatever the diagnosis, you need treatment. My kids were started on Zyrtec over the counter every night and they get nebulizers whenever they get a cold/cough. At first sign of cough my doctor said you want to stop that inflamation right away before it can progress to wheezing and pneumonia which is why he prescribed the nebulizers. It's been a godsend. Since we've switched doctors, my kids haven't had pneumonia, coughs don't last, they sleep better, participate in sports better, have avoided an "asthma" diagnosis and most importantly probably is that neither has had any wheezing. I think you want to focus on prevention. It probably is seasonal allergies and a cold exacerbates the problem.

It's always hard to know what are the main causes - allergies, food, or even the products that you use in your house and personal care. I know that when my kids were young they would get sick more often than I liked but I too was told back then to change my products that I cleaned the house with, cleaned their clothes with and used on their body to less toxic ones, plus use good supplements and now they are rarely sick at all! Almost perfect attendance in school!! While getting your daughter tested is a good idea, I truly believe that what is in our home environment is another cause for sickness - of any kind. I would love to share with you what we changed to that has increased our health and well being. Look forward to hearing from you.

K.
Wellness Consultant

My 7yr old has had allergy induced asthma since she was about 5. I had a nebulizer at home that I purchased when her twin sister had asthma ( since has outgrown) when she was around 2. The nebulizer has been a godsend, as I do not have to run to the doctor/ER if her asthma flares up.

Have her tested for allergies. My daughter is doing allergy shots, and is on Zyrtec and nasel spray during the day, and Singulair at night. Her asthma has been great, but with this weather I give her a breathing treatment in the morning is she needs it. She does not have to carry an inhaler.