Is it really asthma?-Update

[Anonymous]

Hi Everyone

I haven’t been around much lately because I have been busy busy busy at work and Alana has been a bit under the weather.

Last week she became rather unwell and we were told by Dr number 1- bronchiolitis. She had a chest x ray which was apparently fine.

Things got worse and Dr Number 2 told us she had a lower respiratory tract infection and constricted bronchials in the upper tract- leading to prednisolone and antibiotics.

After she went on a fluid strike and cried and cried and cried (reminded me of those early reflux days) Dr Number 3 (it was over the weekend and we couldn’t get to see the same Dr) said that she was really sick, close to pneumonia but didn’t need to be in hospital, just reviewed daily.

Dr number 4 (yes 4) who we saw the next day then suggested that really she has ASTHMA….hence she is now also on Ventalin.

So… its been eventful.

Her main symptoms are low O2 sats (95%), heavy laboured breathing, crackling when breathing and some wheezing, particularly on the inhale. She doesn’t seem to be as irriatable now…we are over the constant crying thankfully, but still isn’t her happy self. We are going back Friday for a review. I’d be interested in anyones opinion on this.

Hope all are well.

evergreenie2007-08-15 06:29:03

[Anonymous]

Hey Therese,

I have no knowledge of anything having to do with asthma(great,right?)but I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. So,so sorry for cutie pie Alana who has been through enough in her little life so far!! I hope that you guys get this figured out and that she returns to being her sweet,happy self soon!!

[Anonymous]

Poor sweetie.

It’s really hard to say if it’s asthma or not. From what I’ve read and seen with family and friend’s babies, it’s not that easy to diagnose asthma. It often seems to be determined by the process of elimination. My niece used to get chronic bronchilolitis as an infant and we were told for quite some time that she had asthma, but she outgrew it by about age 3 or 4 and she has never had asthma problems since (she’s 21 now). The treatment of steroids and ventolin are effective for both asthma and bronchiolitis/bronchitis so it’s probably a good thing that she’s on them.

Ventolin is an excellent bronchodialator, but beware that it’s not supposed to be used daily for long periods of time. It’s not that it will hurt her, but Asthma should be well controlled enough that “rescue meds” like Ventolin are not needed daily. So if she continues to need the Ventolin for weeks or more I’d talk to her doc about maintenance asthma meds like Flovent (an inhaled steroid) or Singulair (an oral med that helps control asthma and allergies).

My opinion based on being asthmatic myself is that her symptoms (low o2 stats, heavy laboured breathing, wheezing and crackling) in the absence of any cold/flu/viral/bacterial symtoms is suggestive of asthma, but I don’t think you can say for sure just yet. I hope she’s feeling better soon. I don’t know if it’s still thought to be true, but I used to hear all the time that if you get asthma very young like in infancy you are more likely to outgrow it than if you develop it later in life. Hopefully it’s not asthma, but if it is she may outgrow it.

Good luck and please keep us posted on your little angel.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like when Sarah had bronchiolitis at that age. Same symptoms. I’d ask for a referral to a respirologist if it’s not clearing just in case. I hate it when these docs can’t agree on a diagnosis! Hope she’s feeling better soon. Poor sweetie!

[Anonymous]

Tracheomalacia goes hand in hand with many kids that have reflux. Tracheomalacia are FLOPPY airways (whereas Asthma is swollen airways). Both are treated the same – pretty much. MOST kids outgrow (their airways strengthen up) by the time they turn two years old. My son has a nebulizer and he has been off the Pulmicort nebs for the summer, but in the last two weeks, it’s been so opressively humid – he’s been having trouble breathing (and when you have trouble breathing, you are more suseptible to respitory infections). So, it may not be Asthma, but Tracheomalacia – which will hopefully strengthen by the time she turns 2 years old. (my son is now 4 years old, he still has tracheomalacia because he was born with eatef – and those kids have severe tracheomalacia, the kind that doesn’t strengthen all the way by the time they are two).

lansima2007-08-07 20:09:00

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to let you know Alana is doing much better. The drs now think it was bronchiolitist but is still convinced she will be an asthmatic…I guess time will tell!

[Anonymous]

I’m glad to hear she’s feeling better. Hopefully the doc’s wrong and she won’t be asthmatic.

[Anonymous]

Hey Therese.. just now getting to this! So sorry to hear that Alana has had such a rough time lately. But I’m glad to hear that she is doing better. I too hope that the doc is wrong about the prognosis, and that Alana will be a happy and healthy little girl from here on out!

[Anonymous]

Oh wow… thank goodness she’s feeling better. Bronchiolitis was also really hard for Sarah at that age. Hopefully they’re wrong about the asthma. Do you have a hx in your family?

[Anonymous]

Yes to the history of asthma on my side, and the excema of course (on both) and of course the milk (an newly discovered tomato) intolerance. Still, I know it could be worse…lucky she loves her veges (and of course we need to avoid those high fat foods anyway!!!)

[Anonymous]

I am so glad that she is feeling better!

[Author]

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