s/o asthma advice

[hillview]

Last Jan DS1 (then 5) had pneumonia (at Disney) and after a couple of ER visits was dx with likely asthma. He had a spacer and flovent and abuteral in a rescue inhaler (rescue did not seem to work) we stopped it around June as the doc thought it was seasonal. We have not gone back to the doc and ds has no issues right now. Do I have to put him back on the flovent or can I wait and see if it flares up again?

TIA
/hillary

[egoldber]

Are you sure about those meds? Albuterol is a rescue med.

Definitely consult your ped or asthma specialist before re-starting the meds.

[Kindra178]

I wouldn't do anything without seeing your doctor. Is it possible your ds had a steroid inhaler plus albuterol? Watch him with winter colds this year as well as in April and May when trees start blooming.

[ett]

Agreeing with what Beth said. Albuterol is a rescue medication so it's not to be used as a daily maintenance medication. I would consult the doc that gave your DS the asthma dx last winter as to what to do this winter.

[hillview]

SORRY flovent was the steriod.
/hillary

[ett]

SORRY flovent was the steriod.
/hillary

Okay, that makes more sense. I would still consult the doc to see what you should do.

[hillview]

Okay, that makes more sense. I would still consult the doc to see what you should do.
Thanks I hate our pedi. Sigh. I am also concerned he will put DS on the steriod prophylactically and that he may not need it. Sigh. You are right.
/hillary

[Melaine]

I don't know....I feel like it's ok to play it by ear if you don't want to do the daily, but I routinely ignore doctor's advice. I decided not to do the daily asthma meds even though I "need" them just to avoid the side-effects. It's a tough call though.

[ett]

Thanks I hate our pedi. Sigh. I am also concerned he will put DS on the steriod prophylactically and that he may not need it. Sigh. You are right.
/hillary

DS2 has asthma and my ped's take on it is no steriods if there's no symptoms. She wants DS2 to be on as little steriods as possible (without the wheezing, of course). But we've never ended up in the ER either, so each case is different. If you are unhappy with how you ped is managing your DS's asthma, it might be a good idea to see an allergist.

[egoldber]

FWIW, I think many peds (and general practice docs) are not very good at managing asthma. There is a lot of recent data saying that aggressive treatment of early asthma can help to prevent long term lung damage. This is why asthma specialist are typically a lot more aggressive at prescribing prophylactic steroids than general peds/docs.

[hillview]

FWIW, I think many peds (and general practice docs) are not very good at managing asthma. There is a lot of recent data saying that aggressive treatment of early asthma can help to prevent long term lung damage. This is why asthma specialist are typically a lot more aggressive at prescribing prophylactic steroids than general peds/docs.

Thanks! Our doc is at Mass General, expect this is why the roids.

[Simon]

If you can swing it, I highly reccomend getting in to see a ped. pulminologist. We use one with Ds2 and his asthma management is very different from our friends who are going off the advice of a general ped. or an allergist.

I think if it was just one episode last winter, I would not (as a parent and not a medical professional) feel we had to do a daily steroid. They are great for prevention though and I can't say enough about how ours seems to be helping this year. Our biggest goal though (besides no hospitalization) is to avoid the oral/liquid steroids since they are so much stronger than the Flovent. The idea being low daily steriod is much better/safer than the short course they give otherwise. But again, I don't know that I would do it for just the one episode last winter.

[catsnkid]

If you can swing it, I highly reccomend getting in to see a ped. pulminologist. We use one with Ds2 and his asthma management is very different from our friends who are going off the advice of a general ped. or an allergist.

.

I 2nd that. We are not usually on oral pred meds here. It was 2 or three times in the beginning. HE is on inhaled pulmicort (purple) and duoneb as needed.
I didn't give DS his meds this year until early Nov when he got a nasty bug. He was pretty croaky but got better and I didn't have to take him in to the doctor. Woo!