dd asthma/cough do I need to do anything tonight?

[fivi2]

In May (April?), dd (7 yo) was diagnosed with asthma. She was constantly coughing and when I finally took her in (bad mommy didn't realize it was asthma) they put her on a steroid for a few days, did a couple in-office nebulizer treatments, and sent us home with an inhaler and a nebulizer. We did frequent nebulizer treatments for about 10-14 days and weaned her off.

We then went to an allergy doc who thought she still had a sinus infection - he put her on a round of antibiotics. After that, he did an allergy skin test (we were looking for triggers).

Anyway, things have been fine since then. Haven't needed the nebulizer at all, and we've used the inhaler maybe once or twice.

Fast forward - this past Sunday, dd ran a fever. She threw up Monday morning and maybe coughed a little (I didn't recognize it as her asthma cough). Felt fine and ate again Monday afternoon/evening.

She did fine today until late afternoon. Her fever returned and she has been coughing uncontrollably (dry and unproductive, no nasal congestion). She reminded me that she coughed like this the day before we got the official asthma diagnosis.

So I pulled out the inhaler. No effect. Then we did a nebulizer treatment. It seemed to help for a few minutes, now the cough is back.

So now what? Wait a few hours and give the nebulizer again? Give cough medicine? Assume it is just a cough and not asthma? Go to the ER?

I am just so clueless because the asthma diagnosis is still fairly new and she seems to be affected very infrequently, so it slips my mind... :bag

Any thoughts?

[WatchingThemGrow]

I'd call the dr. for advice.

[egoldber]

She may need to be on a steroid for awhile to control the flare. I would call back and ask about an inhaled steroid.

But unless she is struggling to breathe there is really no need to go to the er.

And you can do the albuterol via neb or inhaler every 4 to 6 hours.

[fivi2]

She may need to be on a steroid for awhile to control the flare. I would call back and ask about an inhaled steroid.

But unless she is struggling to breathe there is really no need to go to the er.

And you can do the albuterol via neb or inhaler every 4 to 6 hours.

Okay, thanks. I do remember he told me I could do the nebulizer sooner than 4 to 6 after inhaler if the inhaler didn't work (the first time). Maybe he shouldn't have told me that, but I remember he said it was okay.

I won't go to ER, I just felt like he was chastising me for under-reacting last time (when I didn't realize it was asthma).

If the coughing doesn't get under control, I will call in the morning to see about an inhaled steroid. (I do actually have a flovent sample on hand, but I won't use it without the doc's okay).

I was just a bit paranoid because the ped made me feel like I really didn't take things seriously enough initially!

[Kindra178]

How many puffs of the rescue inhaler did you do? You can actually do 4 in a row, if needed. You can also do the rescue inhaler/neb every four hours. For tonight, I would definitely put her adjacent to the shower in a very hot, steamy bathroom. Let the shower run for at least ten minutes at the hottest it will go. Also try a spoon of clover honey. Warm tea (either green or black) may work as well.

Did the allergist give you an asthma action plan?

[3blackcats]

With my girls it takes a few treatments for the cough to go away completely. Do you have a/c? It makes a HUGE difference for my Dd's breathing if I'm not running my air.