Please Help! Son Diagnosed with Asthma, Pediatrician Not Being Very Helpful!

You DEFINITELY need a new pediatrician. To help with the treatments. My Ped. Dr showed me how to tape up one end of the tube put cotton then tape over the end then use the mouth pice like wond and wave it in front of there face. I tell my little girl to smoke her peace pipe. she thinks it is fun. They don't have to get evey little drop as long as they get most of it you can also breath it with him and he will want to do it to. The masks helps some kids but mine dose not wont it on her face. I hope this helps just find a new Dr. I use Dr Marainda Ramirez In Plano off Preston. Small Private practice with excelant care......

Hello!

A friend of mine has a now 2-yr old son who has had asthma pretty much from birth. He gets asthma attacks, and has to take inhalers and use the nebulizer.. the whole nine yards. When her son would get bad, or have flare ups, she was always able to get right in to see her pediatrician, Dr. William Paruolo, in The Colony. I was really impressed with how well they took care of her son, listened to her concerns, changed meds, helped her come up with ways to give the medicine to the little one, etc.

He's at:

6053 Main Street, Ste. 225
The Colony, TX 75056
###-###-####

I'm sorry I'm not able to offer more help. But I know that Dr. Paruolo is very experience at treating asthma in infants and toddlers.

R.,
You definately need a new pediatrician. My son was thought to have asthma and was on albuterol and other asthma meds. The spacer did work. My son is a little older he just turned 7. He sees an allergist/asthma doctor is Plano. Dr John Van Wagoner at the Southwest Allergy and Asthma Center their phone number is ###-###-####. He is very good with kids and takes his time check out the website at www.southwestallergy.com. Anyway, to make a long story short my son does not have asthma. He has very bad nasal allergies. He took him off all the steroids and zyrtec. We are still playing around with meds right now but he seems to be doing a lot better. He is only on nasonex. He was able to help my son breath better and stop his coughing. Occassionally, he will get the classic asthma cough but that is from all his nasal drainage. Also, if you need a referral for a good pediatrician. We see Jennifer Darrow at Pediatric Place off of 15th st in Plano ###-###-####. I have never had a problem with her, if I ask for a referral she will give me one. If we have problems with meds she always helps right away. My kids feel comfortable with her as well and her nurse is fantastic. I have referred several friends to her. We have been going there for about 4yrs. All of the doctors in that office are very good. We have seen all of them check out their website and you can check out all of the doctors www.pediatricplacetexas.com
I know how scary and frustrated this all is, the right doctor will make all the difference. Check out Dr. VW and good luck!
K.

Why don't you change pediatricians? My pediatrician is from Windhaven Pediatrics and her name is Dr. Herrera.. She is very nice and very concerned about your child. My son had a small click sound on his hip when he was born. She had him tested at the hospital with an ultrasound and they are making me see a specialist at Scottish Right hospital to be sure everything is ok. I really like her and she was referred to me by my OB who is the greatest, Dr. Robbins.. They are all located off of the tollway and park at Presbyterian Plano (which was the nicest hospital I have ever been too and made my birth a lovely experience).. Their number is ###-###-####.Just trying to help..

I would take your son to a chiropractor that works with Asthma and allergies. I am a chiropractor and I have treated many children for asthma and allergies. When there are areas out of alignment in the upper back, it can cause asthma. We also use a cold therapeutic laser which stimulates healing of the lungs and helps to eliminate allergies. If you end up going to a MD instead, make sure you ask for the non steroidal inhalants. They have a lot fewer side effects.

R.,
I would like to request that you take you son to see a Pediatric Pulmonologist. Both my kids have grown up with Asthma. Yes, it's hard to get them to use the nebuloizer but he'll eventually learn that it will make him feel better if he uses it. Yes, the spacer did help with both my children when they were almost 2 years old. The reason it helps is because they can breath in and the medication won't escape like it would do with a regular inhaler. I don't see how a 2 year old could use an inhaler correctly without using a spacer.

Also, you want to get this gadget, not sure what it is called but your child blows in it as hard as he can. That way you can measure how well his little lungs are working. He should do it 3 times and you take the better of the 3 scores. This should be done 3 times a day.

Also, as soon as your son is old enough to join sports make sure he does. People think that the outdoor polution makes it worse... but activity that makes the lungs work makes them stronger.

A. Lynn

Hi there,
I didn't read through the many responses you've gotten so forgive me if I am repeating their points.

Helpful hints for getting him to take his med:

Decorate his "nebu" with stickers. Do this with him. He can even draw on it.

Get a kid oriented mask (there are fish or dragon types ones out there.) You can check e-bay even.

About dealing with the Doc:

Any doc that doesn't call in meds on any day is not good. Report her and move on. Also, tell her why you are leaving her. And please rate her on this site so we all avoid her.

Also, Peds are not very good with allergies. They are for the easy stuff. Go to a Pediatric allergist, please. Get their input and then decide what is best for your child.

They can add nasal spray to the zyrtec but talk to the doc. Also, try good old saline nasal sprays multiple times a day.. it helps!

Dr Ernesto Fernandez on Walnut Hill across from Presby Hospital is the best with medically complex kids. My daughter was diagnosed with asthma at around one year and diabetes shortly after she turned four. He was amazing....good luck!
B.

My son now 3 years old, has asthma since infancy. i would certainly recommend a new doctor. We are new to Dallas so I do not know one to recommend. When your son cries during his treatments, that is actually what you want. He take much deaper breaths and the medicine actually gets down into his lungs. i used to put my son in my lap, cross my legs over his, cross his arms and hold with one hand and give full treatment with the other. It is very important that he gets the full treatment while sitting upright. Just know that you can do this because it is what he needs. Also, my son has now been on Singular (which prevents an asthma attack) for 1 year. He has only had 1 astma attack during this time and it was because I forgot to give him his pill. Ask your pedi to prescibe and see how that works for him. hope this helps :)

My son was diagnosed with asthma just before he turned a year old (he is now almost 5). I too took him to his pediatrician and she dimissed my claims that he wheezed. She told me that maybe he just breathed that way! I was ticked and found a new pediatrician for him. I also went ahead and made him an appointment to see a pediatric pulmonologist. I am glad I did. We see Dr. Peter Schochet at Presby of Plano ###-###-####). He is awesome with my son and Robin (his respiratory therapist) is wonderful as well. I also recommend Southwest Allergy and Asthma. My older son goes there for his allergies. He sees Dr. Meiser who is just wonderful.

Dr. Jeff Berkowitz is an awesome pediatrician as well. He has been looking after my boys for quite some time now.

Pick and choose your pediatrican carefully. I have heard good things about the pediatricans recommended to you already. The only one I have a personal problem with is Dr. Hidalgo and the care my son received when he had RSV.

R.,

It is now time for you to take your child to a pediatric pulmonologist. There are at least 3 in Dallas that are the BEST! The one my daughter saw when she was a toddler was Dr. Andrew Gelfand. He is head of pediatrics at Our Children's House at Baylor. We saw another group before him that we didn't like at all. They sent us home with about 6 different meds for our little girl. We thought that was too much. Dr. Gelfand is absolutely wonderful. He only sent us home with a Nebulizer and then put our daughter on an inhaled steroid for a short term. It absolutely did the trick. She's now 8 years old and has completely outgrown her asthma. Oh, it may kick up once in a blue moon, but not nearly bad enough to warrant nebulizer treatments.

F.Y.I. A nebulizer isn't just for kids. I have asthma also and when I suffered a severe upper respiratory infection several years ago they had to give me breathing treatments with an adult nebulizer in the hospital. My daughter also fought the treatments when she was young and sometimes even vomited because she'd get so worked up. We've also seen our share of midnight hours at Children's in the emergency room getting breathing treatments.

Good luck...and hang in there!

I use Pediatric Associates of Dallas and know a few other parents at the same practice. Everyone is happy. They are near Walnut Hill and Greenville.

We see Dr. Denison. He is great with listening to concerns and working with you as far as referrals. He's a young doctor, so if you want someone with more experience, I've heard great things about the other doctors in the same practice.

Their whole staff is great and the environment is wonderful. Thier # is ###-###-####.

You need a more compassionate pediatrician. Dr. Hector Hidalgo, with Trinity Pediatrics, is the best I have ever found, and I went through SEVERAL because I am so picky. He is compassionate, WONDERFUL with the kids, and he sits and listens to whatever you have to say, regardless. He feels that Moms know their kids better than anyone, and he respects their fears and anxiety. Please call him. I do not have his number on me, but Trinity Pediatrics is listed in Plano. You will not regret this. Tell him C. Merrill sent you with high praise.

Check out the Evironmental Health Center of Dallas.--www.ehcd.com--

I don't have advice but I am going through the same exact thing right now with my 7 month old. His ped has tried albuteral (through an Aerochamber) and Flovent and he just got off of steriods and is taking Singulair. We went last week and he had a chest x-ray and it showed that he had too much air in his lungs which was getting trapped. I am taking him to a pediatric pulmonologist tomorrow morning. My doctor has been great. His name is Dr. Gary Morchower in Richardson. ###-###-####. He was actually my pediatrician from birth and I think the wolrd of him. He is great with my son and very compassionate. He referred me to Dr. Peter Schochet in Plano. I will let you know what I think about him after our appointment tomorrow. Good luck!! I definitely understand what you are going through. It is tough to see your little ones going through this!

Dr. Steven Crow is a wonderful doctor in the North Dallas area (actually Richardson). He is on Arapaho and Floyd. We have even had a hospitalization because of something my little boy had. When we were there he came to visit every day and diagnosed our son correctly a day before any of the hospital doctors did.

You DEFINITELY need a new pediatrician. I work for a pediatrician in Richardson (there are 5 in the practice) and ALL of our doctors are teachers. We order and get the nebulizer delivered to your door and we work in office or "on call" 24/7. You should be able to get on a maintance routine and not have to do the nebulizer daily, although medications will probably be necessary depending on the acuteness of your son's asthma. I am really sorry about your experience but there are GREAT pediatrician's around so don't give up.
D.- The "Momma" of 6 year old twins :)

You need a better pedi. Call Dr. Claude prestidge at Pediatrics & Assoc. if he isn't taking more patients, I would try anyone with that practice. We have seen them all in the last 10 years and have been very happy! My son loves his Dr's. the number is 214-369- 7661. They have offices in Plano & Dallas...my neice and nephew go there as well.

I am sorry what you are going through, I know it's hard and frustrating especially if you don't have a Dr that is supportive or helpful.
You definitely need to switch Pediatricians. My son's Ped is AWESOME my oldest has been going to him since he was 3 months when we moved here from California and my youngest when he was born. I used to babysit his 2 kids when I was in high school. He is GREAT w/kids and his staff is WONDERFUL as well.

My youngest had to get on a breathing machine as well, He had RSV and URI when he was 7 months and asthma runs in the family, His dad has asthma and had is since he was a little.
My ped sent him to Pediatric Imaging for Chect X-Rays and everything came out fine, He doesn't have asthma.

My ped is located off of Communications Pkwy near Parker and East of North Dallas Tollway. He is at Trinity Pediatrics which he shares an office w/Dr Colberg.

My ped name is Dr Hector Hidalgo ###-###-####

Good Luck to you and God Bless.
I will be thinking of you and your son.

Wow, I can't believe your ped diagnosed it as asthma without any sort of tests. First, I would get a new ped. But second, I would go to an allergist/asthma specialist. Mine is Dr. El-Hag in Plano. My daughter was on Flovent and albuterol for a year before we came here from Houston. And Dr. El-hag got xrays of my dd. She has enlarged adnoids which had been causing drainage problems. So, when she has drainage from a cold or from her allergies (dust and mold) she gets a horrible cough at night and it won't go away. Well, she is actually getting a sinus infection and is not truly asthmatic. We are currently at the point of going to a Ear nose and throat to see what kind of condition the sinus is in via a catscan. So weird. Every doctor seems to have their way of treating. And it might not be the right route for your child. plus, they might not even be treating the right problem. like in the case of my dd. I hope helps.

I saw another Mom recommended Dr. Steven Crow and I could not agree more. He is a WONDERFUL pediatrician in North Dallas. We moved here three years ago and I was so glad when we found him. We had switched two pedi's at that pont. He is compassionate, thorough and really, really loves his work. His whole staff is wonderful.
His number is ###-###-####

I also have the name of a great and EXTREMELEY thorough allergy and asthma doc at Medical City. My children have bad allergies. His name is Elliott Ginchansky. I got his name from Dr. Crow. ###-###-####

I trust Dr. Crow completely and he is just wonderful. Just to give you an idea on how great this practice is....he sends his Nurse Practioner (with a masters in child development and nursing) to YOUR home for newborn checks. I had my first csection with my third child..unexpected. The baby was very healthy, but Dr. Crow came by my room all 5 days of my stay to talk about what it would be like for our famiily to bring home a new baby. He was concerned that my other two were ready and what we could expect. What doctors do that??????? He could have given the baby a once over and given him the green light. I was floored that he was there everyday and came to see me.

Good luck!