Son Has Trouble Catching Breath

The two first thoughts that come to mind cardiology and asthma. If the shortness of breath causes pain I would have some tests run to see if there are any cardiology problems. Having said that, my son has asthma, but it is kind of atypical. It isn't all the time, he isn't on any daily medicine regimine, he doesn't carry around an inhaler. He only has trouble with it when he plays sports, which sucks for him because he is very athletic and hasn't seen a sport he hasn't wanted to try (with the possible exception of curling). His lungs get irritated in a sport that requires more running, especially if the weather is cool. We can tell he is having trouble (he will try not to say anything because he doesn't like alot of attention drawn to him and doesn't want to be taken out of the game) when we see him bent over with his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. We started taking inhalers to games and accomodated by watching the position he plays. For instance, he plays goalie in soccer instead of running the field.

Either way, if my doctor blew me off that way I would go back and be forceful and demand a referral to a cardiologist or someone who treats asthma and then I would totally fire my doctor. I do not take my son for treatment, or anywhere else for that manner, so that I can be condescended to. I know what a child who is merely out of breath looks like. I am not a hypochondriac nor do I have Munchausin Biproxy, so I expect respect and a listening ear. There are more and better doctors where that one came from, hon. Lose him.

1 mom found this helpful

I am a nurse as well as have had asthma since childhood. One symptom that concerns me is the pain in his chest. I would see a pediatric pulmonologist or allergy doctor. Many family doctors ignore a mom's concerns and this can be terrible. I have a son who was misdiagnosed and ended up having cancer! He is now 7 years in remission and doing well but my worries were ignored!. If your instincts say he is sick then find a doctor who will listen. Ask friends who have a child with asthma to recommend someone. Also, one way to determine if it is asthma is to have him use the inhaler before he runs and see if it eliminates the problem, if it doesn't then you can inform the doctor of this. good luck!

I would highly suggest getting another doctor and have them do stress tests on your son. We as parents have to have a very closer eye on our children that participate in sports. Please contact a new doctor as soon as you can.
M.

Hi, If this were my son I would get an appointment with an asthma and allergy specialist. My 12 yr. old son has had allergies his whole life and the symptoms were continually blown off by our family dr. He would occassionally prescribe some meds for him, which weren't taking care of the core issue. My friends daughter, who is my son's age, and has on the other hand been treated for asthma and allergies most of her life by a family dr. has recently went to an asthma and allergy specialist. She has been test and does not have either, no asthma and not one single allergy! But the dr. said with her symptoms there was something going on, and has narrowed it down to one of five things. Through this process of elimination she is off all the meds her previous dr has had her on since nearly age 2, (10 years of meds, she didn't need)and has not had an episode with her breathing in several months. Beacuse of the dr.'s persistance in finding an answer, this is the dr. I began taking my son to. Just ask around your community and see who is recommended and why, (if you live in the piqua - dayton ohio area I'll give you her name). If he is tested and it comes back fine, then you can eliminate that. But if that is the problem, you both will be breathing easier.
God Bless.

It sounds like exercise induced asthma, especially if he only has problems when exerting himself. I wouldh ave him tested. It is not uncommon for children to have exercise induced asthma and I have worked with many adults that had it as a child and grew out of it.

Make a visit with a cardiologist and/or a pulmonologist. The chest pain could be the lungs or heart. Couldn't hurt, and he'll get a throrough exam that will at least ease your mind if they don't find anything. Good luck!

Hi S.,
I suggest taking your son to an asthma specialist. When I was a kid and playing gamaes that included running hard it always took me a long time to catch my breath. I found out YEARS later that I have asthma. My mom tried to tell me that I never had asthma when I was a kid but I told her that I think that I did & we just didn't know it!

L.

Wow, I wouldn't like that answer either. My son was diagnosed with sports related asthma. He is 14 and was diagnosed a few years ago. He has an inhaler that he uses as needed. He keeps one in his hockey bag. another boy on his team carried and inhaler too. That boy actually had to keep it at the bench. It's not uncommon. He may want to use it before sports and keep it on hand during.

Hi, S. --

When it comes to something as important as breathing, I would say it's YOU who should be blowing off your pediatrician.

You're a smart Mom to not just take this casual response as the answer. You know your son, and you can already see that there are starting to be resultant effects from this difficulty. Time to nip it in the bud or at least get a definitive answer as to what the problem might be.

I have experienced a somewhat similar problem myself, but, in my case, I think my problem was a result of some severe reflux and a hiatal hernia. In any case, I went to a pulmonologist, and they did some stress testing on me and also measured my lung volume.

I think a pulmonologist would be able to at least give you an educated opinion about whether or not this is asthma. Also, it seems that it would be important to determine if your son's heart function is proper. I would take this stuff absolutely seriously. I think doctors are sometimes predisposed to discount what they hear from us parents, thinking we are paranoid. But nobody ever died from over-caution, at least, that's my contention.

I wish you luck in finding the right practitioner to ensure that everything is OK with your son. You and he deserve no less!!

Best regards,
H.

It sounds like your son may have asthma...the symptoms seem exactly like mine and i have had asthma for 12 years now..try suggesting that your sons doctor test him for it and in the meantime limit how much he exercises

My husband at this age was diagnosed with Exersice Induced Asthma, so he does not have typical asthma, but the same sort of symptoms your describing. Nausea and vomiting too. He actually have an inhaler that he takes before doing sports and he has no problems. For the most part as an adult he's grown out of it so to speak. I would consult another doctor for a second opinion. Mom's know best what's going on with their kids. You are with them all the time, the doctor isn't.

For starters I would suggest finding another doctor. For the doctor to just blow you off is not a good doctor at all. My son has issues with bronchiospasms which is similar to asthma. His doctor prescribed an inhaler for him along with prednisone liquid to take when he needs it. He also has him on claritin for allergies which he has pretty bad. After he has been running for a while he is not in pain but he does gasp for breath and wheezes. The inhaler is a quick rescue medication but if that doesn't help then we give him the prednisone as well. The prednisone is a steroid that will also help to open his tubes in his lungs. I would start by finding another doctor.
D.

I am 31 and have been married for almost 12 yrs. My husband and I have 3 boys ages 10,7 and 4.

Get a new Dr.
Sounds to me like your son has Asthma.
This can be VERY dangerous if left untreated.
I hope you can get him the help he needs.

Signed,
a mom with asthma herself. ;o)

Change doctors !!!!!!!!!!!!

I had this form of asthma when I was young. It is very rough going. The way it was all explained to me was...
As a healthy person, run for a good stretch then stop and try to breath through a straw.
I would first look for a new doctor. I'm not sure where you are from but I know that Riley Childrens Hospital in Indianapolis, In. is very good should you have trouble finding the help you need. Good luck! Shannon Gosser
PS. My asthma problem didn't get discovered until I was in the 6th grade, I believe it was so you're ahead of the game.

Have you done BREATHING exercises with him? You'd be surprised how many people are "chest breathers" and do NOT breathe properly? I talk to people about it ALL the time. Has he had a chest x-ray to make sure there is no blockage of any type in his respiratory system?

I'd to some deep breathing exercises FIRST. If it doesn't help at all.....then have a chest x-ray done. Almost ALWAYS, unless there is an obstruction...the exercises help.

Another thing to consider.......what's his diet like? Is there anything that might be constricting his airway?? Might want to research the possibliities. In addition, CO Q10 is something that improves oxygenation to the cells. Normally, you don't think about it for kids, but in this case, I might consider it IF some of the other things don't help.

Hi S.,
Sounds like asthma to me. My son (almost 7) has seasonal asthma. He was finally diagnosed last fall when we moved and switched doctors. His symptoms, mainly coughing alot, especially at night) would start every fall when cold weather would hit. When I took him to the doctor she immediately knew what was wrong and put him on Advair & Singulair. She couldn't believe that he hadn't been diagnosed before even though I had asked his previous doctor about asthma because I had read alot and felt that was his problem. The new pediatrician also told me that his growth had been affected by it. (when the coughing would start he would become really irritable and wouldn't eat much and that lasted all through the winter and spring).
So, my advice to you is find another doctor. It isn't something to mess around with and you need to have the medicine that he needs. We have 2 different types of breathing meds for his nebulizer for when things get really bad and we know what to watch for now. When he gets sick, his asthma is worsened and he requires different meds.
He doesn't have the typical wheezing and signs of difficulty breathing that you think of when you think of asthma. But, the doctor explained that asthma shows itself in alot of different ways.
Find another doctor, a pediatrician or a pulmonologist. Read up on asthma on the web and see if you son has any other symptoms. (coughing at night, clearing his throat, irritability, not sleeping well at night, waking up)
I hope you find someone to diagnose him. It is so frustraing when you know something isn't right with your child and we need to remember, mothers know their children better than anyone, we know when something is wrong!!

I have two children with asthma and cystic fibrosis and from my own personal experience I can say what you describe is asthma that is triggered by rigorous physical activity. If your doctor continues to blow the subject off I would consider getting a second opinion. If your child has asthma I can tell you it feels like someone is tightening a chain around his chest and it is painful. I wouldn't blame him if he doesn't try to overdo it. Who would? When he does have these episodes, what has worked in the past for us is to drink really cold water because it helps calm down the inflamed bronchial tubes. Also, and I know this is going to sound weird but it works, we give the child a drink of really cold mountain dew because the caffeine in the soft drink helps to open up the airways. (I figure it works something like albuterol inhaler as it too is a stimulant) Anyhow, I hope this works for you. Important that you remain calm and keep reassuring your son that this is going to pass and to try to keep calm himself. Crying and getting upset will only cause the episode to worsen. Let me know how things work out!

Yep, sounds like excercise induced asthma. Get a peak flow meter. They're great for letting you know how bad the situation is. Also, I would seek out a new doctor if you don't feel like you were listened to. Don't be afraid of using the inhaler. It will make him feel better (but maybe a little shakey) and that may allow him to feel like he can give it his best in sports. You might also try giving him 2 puffs before his game. That may prevent the episode from occuring again. Best of luck to you and let us know what happens.

sounds like he has sportsw induced Asthma. My son had this also, Scared us but Dr put him on meds to use and everything turned out ok.

Personally I would go to another doctor and get another opinion. Look at all the kids and teenagers that have those problems and it is something with their heart, sometimes. They say moms know best. If your not satisfied with what the dr. is telling you, go to another one or demand more tests. Best of luck. Keep us posted. That as to be so hard for him since he enjoys sports.

M. in medina

S.,
You really need to have him tested for Asthma. He needs to see a Pulmanologist. If your insurance is a PPO then you do not need a referal. It will get you in quicker but you don't need it. If your insurance requires a referal then go back to your doctor and demand they refer you to a specialist. If they won't then find a doctor who will. My daughter went through this and would not participate in sports for years. She has chronic sinusitus that presents similar to asthma. She is so much better now, no thanks to the Pediatricican that would not take me seriously, but to the doctors at Riley Children's Hospital. She is now a very active 8 year old who loves Basketball and cheerleading.

Good Luck!

A little about me:
I have been married to my husband for 11 1/2 years. We have two children a 9 yo son and 8 yo daughter and are expecting another boy this summer. I work part time and am looking forward to staying home for a while after the baby is born.

S.-
It definitely sounds like asthma. One of the boys on my sons baseball team has it and that is what it sounds like. I would get another opinion (and maybe swithc peds) if they are blowing you off. Asthma can be serious. My daughter (1.5) was finally diagnosed with asthma by Children's Hospital. Maybe you can find a specialist associated with them to evaluate your son. I know of some in the Mason, OH area but dont know where you are located. But I would get him checked as soon as you can so that he can safely participate with his baseball team.

Good luck.

I used to have asthma. I started to outgrow it when I was in junior high. I played sports all through high school and this sounds like something that I went through in my later years of sports. I could run, but after a certain amount of time I just couldn't catch my breath. I would always make myself finish because I didn't want anyone to think I was getting special treatment. It would take at least a half hour before I could breath right again. I would say you should change doctors. Your breathing is very important and when your doctor just brushes you off about a concern in that area you should switch. Does he wheeze any other time? It may just be something that an inhaler would help. I would say for his sake get him checked out even if it is just a second opinion. I have had a doctor blow me off with my daughters crying and make me think I was crazy and after I switched doctors we found out the real problem. Mommies instinct is pretty good, and you know your son the best. Insist that there is a problem until someone listens to you. Asthma can be very dangerous, but doesn't have to be.
good luck

Hi S.,
This sounds like asthma to me. I have it and I can tell you there is no more SCARY feeling in the world than not being able to breathe. I 'd get a second opinion for your little guy, because asthma can be serious. Good Luck!

Just from reading that I would definately say "exercise induced asthma" but I'm no doctor. I myself have "exercise induced asthma" I was diagnosed with it in the 7th grade, while playing basketball. I couldn't play because I couldn't breath. I don't know what kind of inhaler the doctor gave you, but if it is an albuterol inhaler, give him (1-2 puffs) before exercising...not after when he struggling. Give it before to help open his airways and help prevent problems. If when he is done and he is still having difficulties give him another puff of it.
If that does not work you are going to have to go back to the doctor and seek further medication. Most doctors do not like to diagnose any child with asthma (so they make it seem like they blew you off).
My son is 5 and he was diagnosed at 2, but when you had as much trouble as he did...its obvious. However, my son's asthma is allergy and weather induced. If Brier gets a cold...he is usually going to have some difficulties.
My son and I both take singular (asthma/allergy med) it does wonders. I can not remember the last time I've had to use my inhaler, but I do still use it prior to exercising. I don't let it control my life. I know my body and so Im better at judging things with myself than with another child - but you can not let it run his life. You can't take him out of sports and things just because of it. Thats what happened to me...I got taken off the ball team, sadly I was a good player, and I was mad. It also made me feel like "well I have asthma I can't run." So I didn't. It took me a long time to decide that I wasn't going to let it get the best of me and I don't allow it to get the best of my son either. He plays sports and I watch him closely.
Asthma - even though I dont think they tell you this - I believe is inherited. My mom has it, her brother has it, I have it, my son has...it runs in the family.
My son also takes an inhaler called Flovent. 2 puffs at bedtime with his singular. It's a preventative med and since we've been doing this we have had ZERO ER visits and he managed to recover from a cold on his very own!
I highly suggest going back to your doctor. This is your child, not his, and like it or not you know when something is just not right with you child. Mother's intuition and you can't ignore that.
Let me know if you have further questions. I've been dealing with asthma and doctors for years!
I'll be praying!
~T~

S.

hi. you might call your high school's athletic trainer. see what they think. i had a niece in middle school/high school that seemed to display some of the same symptoms and the high school's atheltic trainer told them she had athletic induced asthma. it is brought on by over exerting themselves. ex: like during sports(nicole ran track). i am not really sure of all the details, ect. but they might be able to help. good luck. and take care.

C.

Dear S.,
I myself would see if I could get a different pediatrician, or at least a second opinion. I have done a google search for you. Print out some info and take it w/you. The first link is all about "sport asthma in children" here's that one..
http://www.asthma.co.za/articles/ref12.htm
Let me know if any of this helps you w/your next visit to the pediatrician..even if it's the same one..print it out!

This next one if filled w/info for you to look thru. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asthmainchildren.html
GOOD LUCK TO YOU!
K. M aka
____@____.com