Asthmetic 3 yr old?

Question

I have a little girl who is 3 yrs old and has asthma. She is on flovent(3 puffs 3times a day )and ventolin 2 puffs 3-4 times a day. She has been having problems constantly coughing at night and during the day. I've had her to the doctors and they put her on predisone. I haven't noticed any difference, and the doctor says it has to take own course. Does anyone have any suggestion on what to do.

She is already on a airochamber and the house is cleane 3 times a day from top to bottom. Her bedding is washed every day and no one smoke around her. She just can't seem to get rid of the cough and we have macines going in the house for air quallity.

Answer 1

Prednisone has been the only thing that stopped asthma once it got bad in my children.. It takes a couple of days to work on occasion. Let the doctor know if your daughter is not improving and don't hesitate to take her to the ER. After things get better, ask the doctor if a nebulizer might be appropriate for the asthma. We found that our kids responded much better to medicines administered via a nebulizer. Good luck.

Answer 2

Well, that is a serious case of asthma and that is a lot of medication for a little one. I would consider looking at the home environment first, looking for some of the causes of her breathing problems.
Asthma simply means that her airways are very, very sensitive, sensitive to things that you and I don't notice. You need to ensure that the home is very, very clean. Dust in the home is a sure killer. Keep the floors and carpets as dust free as possible and never let her just lay around on the floor. All bedding needs to be super clean and never use any detergent that has any aroma. Always buy the stuff that is aroma free.
Anything that has strong aromas can push an asthmatic over the edge, especially perfume and cologne. If any of you use these products, don't. Literally, one whiff of all that perfume can put an asthmatic, under the right conditions, into the ICU and on a breathing machine, being a respiratory therapist I have seen it, any number of times.
Smoking is a big, big no, no. Even if you smoke outside, the odors and and irritating compounds are on your person, in your hair and on your clothes. Just entering the room with that smell on your clothes can really do an asthmatic in.
When you use cleaners in the home, use as little as possible and use something with very little aroma. Scented candles, nope, incense, nope, anything that smells much like anything can really cause problems.
Outdoors you have all the allergens, dirt, pollen, ragweed, ect. and these can be a big problem, and especially during either very cold, very dry or very hot weather, stay indoors.
Sleeping should be done in a cool room with a little humidity, especially during the hotter months.
I know this sounds like a lot but most doctors will give you none of this information and you need to know how to deal with asthma. Not to scare you, but you need to know these things, asthma can kill you and do it quickly. Pay very close attention to your small one because the airways are very small and when they become inflammed and constricted there isn't much room for play and if it gets too severe, some times even being in the hospital is not enough to help. This would be fairly rare, but not unheard of.

Hmm, just adding to what I have already mentioned and since read your added comments, it does take a while for the prednisone to take effect so hopefully that will be beneficial. The coughing can really be annoying and interrupts the childs life considerably. Honestly, you are already getting most of what would be given, about the only thing I can think of to try would be to switch to a nebulizer with the same ventolin. A compressor costs maybe $60 and you need a prescription for the meds but, especially for small children, the nebulizer tends to give a better dose of the medication because children don't generally use the inhalers as well as they need to, to actually get the medicine into the lungs. Gosh, I really wish I had some more suggestions for you but can't think of anything else that might be helpful. Best of luck.

Answer 3

My mom also has asthma and I have a pretty good understanding of it. I wonder if you have done away with things like carpet, curtains, silk flowers, knickknacks( and yes, pets) or other things that really can catch allergens. My mom is deathly allergic to cats but also somewhat allergic to dogs too. She says that people who have cats as pets have their dander on their clothing and she is also affected by that. Smoking is another bad allergen as well as wood or coal stoves as they smoke. Perfumes and aftershave, hairspray, candles, potpourri etc. anything with a strong smell. Also wash everyone's hair and clothing everyday, as pollen is a terrible allergan and when you have it on your hair you end up with it on your pillow and so on. Don't hang your clothing outside to dry either, as it will collect pollen and other allergans. I really feel badly for your daughter I know it is so hard to have a condition such as asthma. However, the best thing you can do as her mother, is to try to eliminate as much stuff as is possible, that may cause her to suffer. It is not easy to get rid of things and adjust one's lifestyle but you really MUST do that if you want to help her. Best wishes!

Answer 4

I have a three year old that had the same problem....and was given an inhaler by the ER...and it seemed to get worse so I took him to his regular doctor and she said that kids at that age don't know to take a deep breath and to hold it so therefore they are not getting the right amount of meds. so she put my son on a nebulizer with albuterol and within 48 hours I saw a huge difference.

Answer 5

KEep the house clean from dust mites too. OTHER wise soumds like your doing the best you can. I was a new born with asthma.I finally got better over the years.