Question:

As you are probably aware asthma is an allergy Ross

Asthma is no more an allergy than an accidental death is an automobile accident. All nostrum purveyors take simplistic approaches in order to make it seem a logical probability that one herb will be a panacea.     Larry

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Facts About Asthma

< snipped lots of common knowledge about asthma that is attempting to masquerade the embedded sales pitch Thanks Ross

Here’s a fact about asthma, Ross:  People that have it don’t appreciate hearing about snake oil.

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Tell that to the thirty families that have tried and severely reduced the number of times they need their puffer in the run of a week. Including my daughter (7yrs) and son (4 yrs) and my mother (55 yrs) Why are some people so skeptical ? Thank god Columbus wasn’t that skeptical !!!! As you are probably aware asthma is an allergy, by reducing the number of chemicals in the household a lot of people find the number of asthma triggers are greatly reduced.  That along with the ProvexCV a grapeseed extract which has anti-inflammatory properties and helps to reduce the amount of inflammation within the lungs. And the kicker to all this is that the company will let you try it out for 60 days and if it doesn’t help you get a 100 % refund. Your right I don’t have asthma and can not appreciate the agony but I can appreciate the smile I have seen on peoples faces including my son and daughter’s. Ross

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Facts About Asthma < snipped lots of common knowledge about asthma that is attempting to masquerade the embedded sales pitch Thanks Ross Here’s a fact about asthma, Ross:  People that have it don’t appreciate hearing about snake oil.

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Facts About Asthma * Asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, is the most common chronic disease of childhood. Although it can occur at any age, including in infancy, most children with the illness develop it by about age 5. Asthma management requires parents to be alert, diligent, informed – and most of all – to stay ahead of the onset of symptoms. * While its cause is unclear, asthma has increased 61 percent between 1982 and 1995, according to the National Centers for Disease Control. There also has been a 45 percent increase in mortality caused by asthma between 1985 and 1995 – despite increasingly aggressive treatment and medication for this condition. * Currently, more than 5,600 people die each year from asthma. When properly managed, however, people with asthma can lead normal lives. Doctors now work with both parents and children to aggressively treat asthma as recommended in the 1997 guidelines by the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. *Asthma is first treated by assessing and reducing the ‘triggers’ which lead to narrowing airways, the hallmark of an asthmatic episode. The more common triggers are allergens (substances that cause allergies, such as pet dander, mold and dust mite residue), viral infections, tobacco smoke, exercise and changes in the weather. * Doctors also routinely measure air flow in the lungs, using Opeak flow meters’,which give early warning of narrowing airways; use powerful medications, including inhaled and oral steroids (even in very young children and infants) and provide written action plans that can steady parents during the panic of a severe attack. My 6 year old has had asthma since he was a baby after having RSV. We have had to use a nebulizer and Albuterol ever since. When the weather changes is when he usually has the most trouble. At those time we have had to use his nebulizer constantly (several times a day for weeks at a time)! I enrolled in September and we have only used his nebulizer ONCE!!! I think it is because we are not using Tide laundry soap anymore and I have removed all toxic cleaners from our home. We use everything from Melaleuca~I completely converted my home. Hope this helps! Kim ======= Here are some testimonies I pulled off the message board last month. I hope they help. I am an adult asthmatic which almost worse than childhood asthma which means that we don’tgrow out of it and almost always have to take steroids for it which weakens that immune system every time they change the drug or dosage… I hate steroids and refuse to take them so I haave to do as much as possible not to trigger an attack… Commercial cleaners killed me even powdered deterrgent and such. Since I have used Melaleuca products I have not had to even use my rescue inhaler of albuterol. I can clean all day and not have one attack. My five year old has had tendencies to asthma since he was 18 months old. He didn’t have much of a problem except when he got sick. Even a little congestion would give him asthma and I would be using a nebulizer for a month to clear up his lungs. I have been using Mela products for a year now and he has not had one episode of asthma since I switched. He has had a few colds and I use the Solumel in his humidifier to clear up the congestion which works great but I haven’t had to use his inhaler or nebulizer in over a year now. Hope this helps! Heather Rascon My son was diagnosed with reactive airways disease when he was 2. It is pretty much the same thing as asthma but is triggered by alergies and/or a cold. We were in and out of the hospital at least once every 2 weeks for over a year getting ventilin treatments. He cwas also on steroid puffers everyday. Since I started purchasing Mela products our lives have completely changed. No more puffers, no more ventilin!! I didn’t realize quite how drastically until I had run out of Melapower and used Tide… on his bed sheets. That night he couldn’t breathe, and we were off to the hospital once again. The doctor asked if I had done anything differently, especially had I used a new detergent…. BINGO!! I will never again have that other stuff in my home. We can really notice it now when we visit other people’s homes and they use the regular garbage from the store… even regular household cleaners also. Our visits have to be kept short. My son is also alergic to dogs, we have a dog who is bathed twice per month using Koala Pals bubble bath with a little Solumel (for the dog smell) and we use Koala Pals shampoo to wash him. No more alergic reaction to the dog either If this person wants more info, please have her email me or call me, I have a TON more stories how my son has improved. Nicole Bennett OMG! You are decribing my life from last year! I have a 2 yr old that has asthma. We have 3 different nuebulizers (that machine with the mask). The medicine you put in them helps to open their lungs and airways BUT it also makes them VERY hipper! September through March are the worst times for us. Last year at this time he was on ‘The Machine’ a minimum of 4 times a day! This year I think I can count how many times he has been on it on my hands! WOW! What a difference. Candice First and foremost…. change over your whole house! I know that can take time. The biggest thing I noticed was carpet fresh…bathroom cleaners….furniture polish…. all of these have irritants. The laundry has a lot to do with asthma & allergies to… Even after they are dried the soap is still in there… This also irritates them. One thing that I have found helps the most during those LONG attack days is …. Mela oil ! I put the Tea Tree Oil in a mistless vaporizer, because the moisture causes mold. I found one here at the grocery stores that you plug directly into the outlet … it’s about the size of a small nightlight. It comes with little refillable swatches … I put a drop or 2 on there then insert it. THe room smells great and he doesn’t wake all stopped up. They are under $10. I dip a Q-Tip in the oil then clean out the inside of his nostrals.. just the ends. There is ALOT of debris that we don’t realize builds up there. And if it’s real bad I put a little on his chest, temples, & end of his nose. I guess if you had to change your house out slowly I would say to definately start with the Laundry Pak & Mela Oil. Oh…. And the MelaGel Disk is great for in our purse for those days out of the house. The sooner you catch this the better it is… After doing these things my 2 yr old went from (last year) being on the neubulizer (w/Albuterol) 4 to 5 times a DAY to (this year…with MELA in our house) since Sept he has used his neubulizer less than a dozen times! I am asthmatic and wasn’t until I was an adult…. I have found that I wheeze less now and that in general I breathe easier… I find that when I am around harsh cleaners at some one else’s house that I have a harder time breathing I developed asthma as an adult due to allergies. I used to have asthma attacks everytime I would clean my house and it would take at least a week to get me back to normal. Since converting my whole house over with the Value Pack, I have not had an asthma attack! Also, my daughter has had allergies that made her eyes run since birth. With the conversion of our house, and using the Vita-Bears, her eyes haven’t run since switching to Melaleuca! I love it! Thanks Ross

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Question:

My daughter is 6, she has a cough alot of the time and yes she has allergies, though I have never had her tested. Nothing seems to help her allergies. But for the first time I heard her wheeze the other week and it scared me to death. She hasn’t done it since but I mentioned it to the Dr. and she said that the cough itself could be indicative of asthma and that you dont’ have to wheeze. Now I have asthma but never just a cough. Is this true? What type of tests would they run on her? I am scared now. I have adult onset asthma and for some reason never thought my children would ever have it. TNSE

Yes, asthma can result in wheezing or coughing. The coughing kind is called cough-variant asthma. Asthma is diagnosed using lung function tests with a spirometer. Sometimes asthma meds are tried on a trial basis to aid in the diagnosis. It may be best to ask for a referral to a pediatric allergist; they usually know more about diagnosing asthma. If appropriate, allergy tests can be run using skin testing. Knowing what she is allergic to can help you take steps to avoid the allergens. Sometimes sinusitis or GE reflux is involved in cough asthma. Ellis

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My daughter is 6, she has a cough alot of the time and yes she has allergies, though I have never had her tested. Nothing seems to help her allergies. But for the first time I heard her wheeze the other week and it scared me to death. She hasn’t done it since but I mentioned it to the Dr. and she said that the cough itself could be indicative of asthma and that you dont’ have to wheeze. Now I have asthma but never just a cough. Is this true? What type of tests would they run on her? I am scared now. I have adult onset asthma and for some reason never thought my children would ever have it. TNSE

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Hi I just looked up this discussion group.On Tuesday morning my daughter woke up not being able to breathe.We went off to the hospital where we found out she was having her first asthma attack.Not knowing that she had asthma .She had only had a dry like cough for the day or so before hand.The Dr. also said that the asthma and her excma(sp?)

eczema could go hand in hand with each other the excma she has had since about 6 months old .any hints on what to look for in a asthma attack..we go see her regular ped. on fri..Please help ..The inhaler we got, is that something I’ll always need to cary around with me? and she is a VERY active little girl do I need to limit her on her activities? The only thing the Dr. told me was that I need to bring her in asap when it happends again

You and the pediatrician will need to work out a management plan.  This will include preventive measures, trigger identification, regular treatment, monitoring, and how to handle attacks.  Be sure to ask about a peak flow meter.  And, yes, you do need to carry the rescue inhaler everywhere; it will do precious little good sitting in your medicine cabinet when she is having an attack in the park.  Finally, most asthmatic children are perfectly capable of leading happy, active lives; in fact, being very active [as long as they are not in the middle of an attack] is better for their long-term health. Chris Owens

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Hi Lisa, Nothing I can add to the great information you’ve already received here except that if you’re looking to exchange information with other parents of asthmatic children I might have something of interest for you: I run a non-commercial Web site and discussion list specifically for parents of kids with asthma — http://asthmatrack.com/ Jeanne – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi I just looked up this discussion group.On Tuesday morning my daughter woke up not being able to breathe.We went off to the hospital where we found out she was having her first asthma attack.Not knowing that she had asthma .She had only had a dry like cough for the day or so before hand.The Dr. also said that the asthma and her excma(sp?) could go hand in hand with each other the excma she has had since about 6 months old .any hints on what to look for in a asthma attack..we go see her regular ped. on fri..Please help ..The inhaler we got, is that something I’ll always need to cary around with me? and she is a VERY active little girl do I need to limit her on her activities? The only thing the Dr. told me was that I need to bring her in asap when it happends again…Thank you Lisa

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi I just looked up this discussion group.On Tuesday morning my daughter woke up not being able to breathe.We went off to the hospital where we found out she was having her first asthma attack.Not knowing that she had asthma .She had only had a dry like cough for the day or so before hand.The Dr. also said that the asthma and her excma(sp?) could go hand in hand with each other the excma she has had since about 6 months old .any hints on what to look for in a asthma attack..we go see her regular ped. on fri..Please help ..The inhaler we got, is that something I’ll always need to cary around with me? and she is a VERY active little girl do I need to limit her on her activities? The only thing the Dr. told me was that I need to bring her in asap when it happends again…Thank you Lisa

Ask for a referral to a pediatric allergist. He can evaluate her allergies and recommend steps to minimize exposure; also he probably knows more about asthma.  Some links: http://www.aaaai.org/public/publicedmat/tips/tip20.html CHILDHOOD ASTHMA (AAAAI) Excerpt: "Identification Can Be Difficult Approximately 10% of children have symptoms consistent with  asthma. Correct diagnosis and management of childhood asthma  requires an asthma and allergy specialist who recognizes the  uniqueness of childhood asthma, compared to asthma which  begins in adulthood. Important differences include: *the patient’s history, which is often given by the parent rather  than the patient; *the findings on physical examination; *other diagnoses, which should be considered as alternative  explanations for wheezing; *factors that worsen asthma; *choice of asthma medications; *prognosis of the disease. " http://www.ama-assn.org/special/asthma/treatmnt/guide/aaps.htm Acute Exacerbations, child JAMA Office Management, AAP http://www.vh.org/Providers/ClinGuide/Asthma/Asthma.html   Asthma Management: Guidelines for the Primary Care Physician  (Virtual Childrens Hospital) c95, 97 (UIowa) Ellis

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Hi I just looked up this discussion group.On Tuesday morning my daughter woke up not being able to breathe.We went off to the hospital where we found out she was having her first asthma attack.Not knowing that she had asthma .She had only had a dry like cough for the day or so before hand.The Dr. also said that the asthma and her excma(sp?) could go hand in hand with each other the excma she has had since about 6 months old .any hints on what to look for in a asthma attack..

Asthma is considered to be an atopic (allergic) disease.  Basically, what happens is that an allergen is inhaled and absorbed into the airways tissue.  This allergen is intercepted by an antibody called ‘IgE’ which combines with it (becoming an ‘activated’ antibody) which then contacts a specialized immune cell called a ‘mast cell’  This mast cell bursts, releasing a host of mediator chemicals such as histamine (causes the runny nose and water eyes symptoms) and the leukotrines (which cause inflammation). This inflammation produces excess mucous production in the airways, reduces the size of the airways, and (most importantly) makes them hyper responsive to further stimuli (such as histamine).  When these airways contact any form of irritating stimuli (such as ozone or histamine) they spasm, drastically reducing the size of the airways and producing the symptoms associated with asthma. we go see her regular ped. on fri..Please help ..The inhaler we got, is that something I’ll always need to cary around with me? and she is a VERY active little girl do I need to limit her on her activities? The only thing the Dr. told me was that I need to bring her in asap when it happends again…Thank you Lisa

This is something that your doctor needs to evaluate.  In fact I would expect that due to the recent need for emergency treatment, he will refer you to a specialist for an expert opinion. What medications are needed cannot be determined until the doctor has done a full examination.  But expect that at least in the short term that the doctor will aggressively prescribe medications until he is satisfied that the asthma is under control. Even though, the ‘rescue inhaler’ you were given is something that needs to be available At All Times.  In fact it would be a good idea to get 2 or 3.  Keep one spare in the car and one unopened spare in the house.  This way, if you are suddenly faced with an empty inhaler, there will be a spare. Rule #1 for asthmatics:   Never, never, never, go anywhere without your rescue inhaler being available – no matter how good you feel. "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has limits." Einstein

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my daughter was diagnosed at 5 too. Ask your doc. for a daily preventitive medicine. That has helped my daughter so much. It may seem like a hassle to give her inhalers 3 times a day but its worth it in the long run. Also if shes going outside to play or going to be very active …my doc said to give my daughter her inhaler*ventolin* 15 min. before going out to play. There is a lot to learn…..i wish you the best of luck!    kristi

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there are still so many things you need to find out before you start getting yourself too worried.i too have a 5 year old with asthma.his first attack was at 18 months.i know how scared you are right now and it has taken a long time to get to a plce to be comfortable.first i would try and find a good book about the subject at the library.this will atleast get you started and so you can have some questions ready for the doctor.write them down at home when they come to you rather than rely on remembering them at the doctor’s. it helps so you don’t forget something. i think the second thing is list all the things you think might be triggers.a trigger is something your child has been exposed to that might have caused the attack.this can range from pollen to cat to a viral infection.my son’s only tigger is a viral infection.so we can go a long time without an attack.also don’t let the word attack scare you either.while some people have sudden attack without warning some will have a constant cough with wheezing.again it will take time to learn this and how your daughter will react.my son’s first attack was very sudden but now i know at the first sign of a cough to start start his nebulizor. i am one who believes in not limiting activity unless he has a really bad cough.my son is very aware of when he has a flare up and is the first to let me know.he will play t-ball this spring and he takes swimming lessons.i think if you make too big of a deal about it she will feel bad about herself.i know my son has.he still goes to school when he is having one of his episodes but the school is well aware of calling me if something happens.he has sat out at recess and not played when he is sick.it will happen but my son atleast tends to know when it is best for him to sit out. don’t get the idea that i am all knowing and never have problems with it.we were at the hospital last month because he couldn’t breathe and it is still scary when it goes that far but atleast i am now aware of when it is controlable by just using the nebulizor or if he needs more medicine or to see a doctor.give yourself time and read read read all that you can. i hope this helps and if you have any other questions feel free to write. barb

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If you can, I’d make an appointment with an allergy/asthma specialist for her, too–he/she should be able to provide a lot more up to date information. Before extra strenuous activity (say, playing a sport) or exposure to things you know trigger her asthma (an allergist can help identify these), you might want to premedicate her with the inhaler, assuming it’s a bronchodilator (albuterol/proventil/ventolin are the most common).  Your doctor can give guidance as to what dosage and when to do this. The doctor may also want to have her on a daily "maintenance" medication to control the asthma day-to-day; likely what you’ve been given is a rescue inhaler, for excaberations and premedicating. A very useful thing–and again, your doctor or allergist can help with this–is to get a peak flow meter, and use it to measure her air flow daily.  (This is pretty easy–you just blow into it as hard as you can.)  Then, once you know what her "normal" range is, you’ll know when she’s getting in trouble ahead of time, and know when to up her meds or contact the doctor (who can give you guidelines for this). But assuming the asthma is under control and she’s not in the middle of an active flareup, she can pretty much go for it, and do pretty much anything she wants.

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Hi I just looked up this discussion group.On Tuesday morning my daughter woke up not being able to breathe.We went off to the hospital where we found out she was having her first asthma attack.Not knowing that she had asthma .She had only had a dry like cough for the day or so before hand.The Dr. also said that the asthma and her excma(sp?) could go hand in hand with each other the excma she has had since about 6 months old .any hints on what to look for in a asthma attack..we go see her regular ped. on fri..Please help ..The inhaler we got, is that something I’ll always need to cary around with me? and she is a VERY active little girl do I need to limit her on her activities? The only thing the Dr. told me was that I need to bring her in asap when it happends again…Thank you Lisa

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Question:

Hi, Have you tried the nebulizer machine yourself in front of her?  Put normal saline in it., and give your self a treatment with this.  The normal saline will not hurt you and maybe if she sees that mom is not afraid of it , she should not be.  Or bribery might work by letting her play with a special toy while she is on the machine only.  I am not above bribery with kids and getting thier cooperation for scary treatments.  This is some of the ways we handle it at work.  I am a pediatric critical care nurse..god luck…let me know how it goes….RabbitNSE

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Hello. I am new here also.  My seven-month old son was just recently diagnosed with asthma.  I am using the Aerochamber with his puffer, and although he is not thrilled with the idea, he seems to take it ok so far (of course, only used it 2 days now LOL) Perservere with it first, I think.  I you tell her that if she uses this thing, she will feel 100 times better, you may get further.  Other than that, I am not sure.  Still new to this myself! Keep me posted on how you do, OK?  I am anxious to see what other options are out there myself, as spending 51.00 on a machine to help with the puffer seems insane to me! L8TR Cheri Stevens – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi. I am new here. My 3 year old daughter has recently started being asthmatic (I am not sure what the correct way of saying it is). The pediatrician prescribed Ventolin. The syrup version seems to not help in the slightest. The inhalor and the machine scare her and she refuses to use them. I figure forcing it on her would not help as it just makes her hysterical and harder on her breathing. Does anybody have any advice what to do with her – something else to try? How to get he to use the machine? Something natural possibly? Anything? Her breathing is so belabored it pains me to watch her. Thank you. Rafi

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hello, I rad you post and I am curious as to what kind of machine are you buying for $51 to help with the puffer?  The aerochamber with face mask is on $20 at the most.  Are you buying a nebulizer?   Its surprised to find so many children under one year old on inhalers.   They never worked for my children.  They just didn’t get enough of the medication.  Nebulizer has worked the best for us and still does when they are really sick. We started with a compressor type made by devil biss, but it was noisy, slow and I got tired of buying cups for school, home and baby sitter.   the schools here won’t wash neb cups so I had to buy neb cups by the case.   I recently purchased an ultrasonic AC/DC battery powered machine which we all love.  Its small, light, silent and really fast which is great when you are using it on a young child. I can understand it can be a little scary when your little one wheezes and coughs.  I have two children with asthma and I am asthmatic myself.   I’m wretling with my 7 yo who has chronic sinus infections and we are on our third course of 21 days of antibiotics. We just changed insurance companies so we have to find all new docs!!!!  What a chore! So I guess you can say been there done that and I’m still wearing that tee-shirt.   Try to get some good reading material and ask lots of questions.  Most hospitals offer and asthma class for parents and children.  Its a great place to meet others and learn about how many other parents cope with there childs illness as well as learning about new drugs and what to expect from a care provider when you do have to go to the ER. Good luck toni

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Hi. We tried the AeorChamber once, but figured if wewere going to have to force her, she would never inhale enough via the Chamber for it to have an effect on her breathing. She still refuses to  have anything on her face. Basically after all the ideas, the only thing that worked was forcing her once. She then realized that she feels better after using the nebulizer and now she even asks for it. She still will not use the mask, so we hold the tube right under her mouth and she breathes fine after that. BTW, we had to pay about $90 for the neb (live in Israel) so 51 sounds pretty good. Good luck. Rafi – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello. I am new here also.  My seven-month old son was just recently diagnosed with asthma.  I am using the Aerochamber with his puffer, and although he is not thrilled with the idea, he seems to take it ok so far (of course, only used it 2 days now LOL) Perservere with it first, I think.  I you tell her that if she uses this thing, she will feel 100 times better, you may get further.  Other than that, I am not sure.  Still new to this myself! Keep me posted on how you do, OK?  I am anxious to see what other options are out there myself, as spending 51.00 on a machine to help with the puffer seems insane to me! L8TR Cheri Stevens Hi. I am new here. My 3 year old daughter has recently started being asthmatic (I am not sure what the correct way of saying it is). The pediatrician prescribed Ventolin. The syrup version seems to not help in the slightest. The inhalor and the machine scare her and she refuses to use them. I figure forcing it on her would not help as it just makes her hysterical and harder on her breathing. Does anybody have any advice what to do with her – something else to try? How to get he to use the machine? Something natural possibly? Anything? Her breathing is so belabored it pains me to watch her. Thank you. Rafi

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Ha your doctor advised you on self- management such as eradication of house dust mite/ quitting smoking? If not, speak to him about it. You should also insist that the ventolin is not helping and that an alternative drug should be supplied and/or counselling and training on the use of inhalers. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi. I am new here. My 3 year old daughter has recently started being asthmatic (I am not sure what the correct way of saying it is). The pediatrician prescribed Ventolin. The syrup version seems to not help in the slightest. The inhalor and the machine scare her and she refuses to use them. I figure forcing it on her would not help as it just makes her hysterical and harder on her breathing. Does anybody have any advice what to do with her – something else to try? How to get he to use the machine? Something natural possibly? Anything? Her breathing is so belabored it pains me to watch her. Thank you. Rafi

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Thanks all for your ideas. We had tried most of them to no avail. We finally just held her down and forced her to take the mask. When she felt better afterwards, she realized it is not so bad. Today she surprised us and took it happily (after having said she did not want to use it). I think it will work out. Thanks again. Rafi – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dear Rafi, Try to build the neb into her favorite activity, if possible. Let her decorate it with markers, stickers, whatever. I have a six-year old son that started with asthma at 13 months and we had a small video/TV combo that we put in front of him with favorite videos. I run a site for parents of children with asthma. There’s a discussion board and you might get some other ideas there as well. http://jacy.com/asthma/ I’m in the process of moving it to a new server so if you get a 404 or other error, please try again soon — eventually things will be back to normal again. Best wishes, Jeanne

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I’m glad to hear that she finally realized that you are doing what is best for her.  So you got your first lesson is Assertive parenting 101 and recieved your fisrt case study on toddler manipulation 101. It amazes me how such a little child can manipulate parents into to think that because i don’t want medicine that can keep me breathing which ranks pretty high on the priorities list and parents can actually give in and allow the child to have his way.   I’ve been there too…and was quick to learn to put my foot down. I have another suggestion.  If she really objects to the nebulizer you may want to consider an Ultrasonic nebullizer.  They are silent and very fast.  The noise of the compressor and all the noise the nebulizer cup makes when it is misting can be very frightening to a small child.  I have an ultrasonic for my girls and I.  We love it.  Gives a treatment in about 5 minutes or less and is silent so I can watch TV or whatever and still hear with out all the noise that traditional compressors make.   Plus they are usually pretty small and run on batteries or on you car adaptor, making travel really easy.  There are many brands on the market with varying prices.  I myself chose an imported model that was really reasonable in price ($149 plus shipping and handling) and have been very pleased. Good luck and I’m glad things are working out toni – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thanks all for your ideas. We had tried most of them to no avail. We finally just held her down and forced her to take the mask. When she felt better afterwards, she realized it is not so bad. Today she surprised us and took it happily (after having said she did not want to use it). I think it will work out. Thanks again. Rafi

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Well I have a daughter that has been asthmatic since she was about year old. We never really had difficulty because when she was having an attack she was pretty limp and tired so we could do just about anything to her she was too sick to fight.  After a few of these episodes she new this was the medicine that would make here feel better so she sat still and usaully fell asleep after the treatment was over with. This is what I’d try.  Put saline only in the nebulizer with the face mask.  Put it on yourself and show her that it won’t hurt.  Let her play with it while its running so she will see it doesn’t hurt.  i would do this is a comfortable chair infront of her favorite video or TV show (this also helps).  After a few tries she may just give in and be fine. How does she react in the emergency room or the Docs office when they give her a treatment?  she may be frightened because by that time she is in such distress that all the staff hurrying around her is really frightening. If none of the above work, Mom, I guess its hold her down and give the treatment.  The worse case scenerio if you withhold the meds is Respiratory Arrest and if you are having a difficult time dealing with it now imagine your baby on a vetilator in the ICU restrained so she doesn’t put out the tubes!!!  Not a pleasant thought. I can give you tips for restraining her so she can’t hurt herself or you.  These are things I’ve learned over the years of work ing in the Emergency room, peds and EMS.   Please e-mail me if you’d like to discuss this privately Toni – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi. I am new here. My 3 year old daughter has recently started being asthmatic (I am not sure what the correct way of saying it is). The pediatrician prescribed Ventolin. The syrup version seems to not help in the slightest. The inhalor and the machine scare her and she refuses to use them. I figure forcing it on her would not help as it just makes her hysterical and harder on her breathing. Does anybody have any advice what to do with her – something else to try? How to get he to use the machine? Something natural possibly? Anything? Her breathing is so belabored it pains me to watch her. Thank you. Rafi

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Hi My Three yr. old has used the mask 4 times a day (or more) for over a yr. and a half. here is what we do; -let him play with the equipment -let him turn it on and off when needed -sit him on his bed in front of his television set -let him pick the movie he wants -give him goldfish crackers, or other small cracker/cereal type snack (this way he is eating, and breaths through his nose, not his mouth) -sit with him through the treatment -tell him " HE DARN WELL NEEDS IT!!!"  :)  I hope she gets used to it. It will take some time, have patience and give her a huggle from me.:) Tammie-Lee<< – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi. I am new here. My 3 year old daughter has recently started being asthmatic (I am not sure what the correct way of saying it is). The pediatrician prescribed Ventolin. The syrup version seems to not help in the slightest. The inhalor and the machine scare her and she refuses to use them. I figure forcing it on her would not help as it just makes her hysterical and harder on her breathing. Does anybody have any advice what to do with her – something else to try? How to get he to use the machine? Something natural possibly? Anything? Her breathing is so belabored it pains me to watch her. Thank you. Rafi

Response:

Hi. I am new here. My 3 year old daughter has recently started being asthmatic (I am not sure what the correct way of saying it is). The pediatrician prescribed Ventolin. The syrup version seems to not help in the slightest. The inhalor and the machine scare her and she refuses to use them. I figure forcing it on her would not help as it just makes her hysterical and harder on her breathing. Does anybody have any advice what to do with her – something else to try? How to get he to use the machine? Something natural possibly? Anything? Her breathing is so belabored it pains me to watch her. Thank you. Rafi

Response:

Hi. I am new here. My 3 year old daughter has recently started being asthmatic (I am not sure what the correct way of saying it is). The pediatrician prescribed Ventolin. The syrup version seems to not help in the slightest. The inhalor and the machine scare her and she refuses to use them. I figure forcing it on her would not help as it just makes her hysterical and harder on her breathing. Does anybody have any advice what to do with her – something else to try? How to get he to use the machine? Something natural possibly? Anything? Her breathing is so belabored it pains me to watch her. Thank you. Rafi

Ventolin is the rescue drug for asthma exacerbations. If it doesn’t help, it brings into question the asthma diagnosis. There are some look alike conditions that have to be ruled out. It sounds like you are trying to use a nebulizer with face mask to administer the Ventolin? It can also be administered with a Ventolin Metered Dose Inhaler, using AeroChamber spacer; a face mask version would probably be needed. She may benefit from a referral to a specialist; typically a pediatric allergist or pediatric pulmonologist/lung doctor. Here are some links: http://vh.radiology.uiowa.edu/Providers/ClinGuide/AsthmaManagement.html Asthma Management:  Guidelines for the Primary Care Physician (Virtual Childrens Hospital) c95, 97 (UIowa) http://www.parentsplace.com/cgi-bin/objects/web_doc/drweb216.data Asthma versus RAD http://www.aaaai.org/patpub/resource/publicat/tips/tip20.html  CHILDHOOD ASTHMA (AAAAI) http://www.aaaai.org/profinfo/publicat/paramete/treatmen/children.html  Asthma in children Practice Parameters for the Diagnosis and treatment of Asthma (AAAAI) http://www.njc.org/MFhtml/PSG_MF.html Pediatric Self-Management Guidelines

Question:

I am glad you are doing well. Everyone including asthmatics should exercise! Many asthmatics who rely only on a Reliever type of medication such as Alupent that I have met were merely rationalizing their condition and persevering with a strong will. This is noble, however such dogmaticsm should be approached with caution. Chronic untreated airway inflammation leads to microscopic scarring of the small airways. Over decades, this scarring may accumulate and eventually lead to fixed airflow obstruction.   Meaning untreatable airflow obstruction! << I know many asthmatics have been and are currently  poorly managed by persons who fail to practise evidence-based medicine. The patient needs to read and question his/her therapy and understand that they need to be the person controlling their condition in concert with health care professionals. The biggest failure that I see in my current practise is failure to diagnose and treat GERD. Gastro-esophagal reflux disorder. It is a huge component of many patients asthma trigger cycle. Most patients deny that they have reflux at first. A careful history and examination is required. We will get upper GI endoscopy or esophageal pH monitoring done if required failing barium swallow or the like. Sometimes history is good enough to make a diagnosis. It may take up to 6 months for the full benefit of the anti-reflux therapy to occur. In addition, every body system must be examined and the patient given up to a year or more of counselling and education For example: Many patients that I have seen were able to reduce their medication volume and in 2 cases "cure" their asthma with GERD treatment. We have every asthmatic see a dietition for anti-reflux dietary counselling. I also have all post-menopausal women see the dietition/pharmacist for calcium supplementation and calcium physiology education. I provide sleep education and consider sleep fragmentation/deprivation to be very sinister. Much time is spent explaining how the sleep cycle works and how certain practices can enhance unfragmented sleep. No asthmatic should touch coffee! Stress management is another large component. We have members on our team that do nothing but this topic. It generally takes 1-2 years to turn a brittle asthmatic into a knowledgable self-managed ( via action plan ) well person who does not visit the hospital. — thanks and best regards Paul Horn – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hello my name is Ty and I have had asthma since I was 3 years old. From 3 years old to 16 I have been admitted into emergency rooms avery other month. from 10 years old I used to give myself adrenaline shots all the way up until 15 years old. I have been on prednisone, alupent, bechlomethasone, vanceril, slo-phyllin, theodur, theophyline, you name it I was on it. I was married in 1990 to my now lovely wife – I was 19 at the time. It was her idea to ween me off my medication. All these medications just make you weaker and weaker. My wife told me to cut the medication by 25% for two weeks, then another 25% for two weeks and so on until I wss no longer taking medication. It worked, I was weened of this terrible junk. from 19 to 26 I had quite a few asthma attacks especially in the pollen season here in Arizona. Two years ago when I was 26 I started to swim. Af first I could barely do a lap. Now I swim 700 (3/4 of a mile )yards a day without a  problem with my asthma. Now the only time I get asthma is when I run a few miles, then I start to wheeze, but it is induced by the jogging. I plan to compete in Tri-athelons. I hike two days a week, swim 7 days a weeks, I fel great .. When I do not excecise I feel my asthma is just around the corner. I am still allergic to other peoples cats and dogs , but not my own. To All you Parents who stay up at night worrying about your loved ones breathing make sure when your child grow up, enroll him/her into swimming or any type of cardiovascular excercise I assure you It will do wonders. Gary Hall is An Asthmatic so are many other athletes, that probably why there in the sport. It’s always good to keep around an Alupent Inhaler though ! I hope this can help you with your asthma ! Sincerely, Ty Chu

Response:

I am glad you are doing well. Everyone including asthmatics should exercise! snipped<

  GEE Paul!!!!!     Wish you were in Canada and close to me! (You sound wonderful) I have had to take things into my own hands for my Son, because his pediatrician seems to be to layed back when it comes to Asthma (although othrewise he is a great Doc) Tammie-Lee<<

Response:

Thanks I live in western Canada. There must be an asthma care center near you. They are popping up all over Canada and are usually based within hospitals as outpatient clinics. Glaxo-Welcome sponsers many of them, perhaps contact them for the location of the nearest center for your child. An asthma care center should have a respiratory therapist who is a certified asthma educator. These people exclusively counsel and teach about asthma management. After a few months, a care plan is usually developed which enables the patient to control their asthma. From my experience, enabling a patient to self control their condition is very successful and rewarding. Many physicians are reluctant about sending their patients to asthma care centers in an attempt to display their egocentric know-all attitudes. Avoid such practioners. Two things that alarm me on this NG is the worship of nebulizers and "leuks" such as Singulair. Common nebulizers are very inefficient at delivering aerosol to the small airways. The ideal particle size for deposition is 3 microns. Nebs fail miserably in this regard and the average neb has somewhere around a 3% efficiency. An MDI with spacer has an efficiency upwards of 13%. Nebs have large oropharyngeal deposition and related side effects. If possible, we have our children use MDI/SPACER as soon as possible. This is not possible with infants and if the child is quite young then only then do we use nebs. By the way there are now "super-nebs" available. They are 6-7 dollars each, but are reusable/sterilizable. These nebs have a reservoir bag and special design which may bring their efficiency up to that of an MDI/SPACER. I think Roxon sells these in Canada. Contact a hospital that has a respiratory therapy department ( talk to the person who orders equipment ) if interested. "Leuks" I think of these drugs as another useful tool in proper asthma management. There is much panacea and disappointment in my view. Certainly try these drugs, but keep objective and use reason as your guide. There are a lot of drugs to be released in the future and one needs to be sceptical about any new drug. Remember drug companies are profitable enterprises which market a product to increase their profits. New asthma drugs are now being hyped in Tabloids and this is irresponsible. Our information should not come from Tabloids! This newsgroup is quite helpful in that regard. I guess, what I am trying to say is that asthma management is more than just drugs and this should never be under-emphasized. In my experience, a large number of uncontrolled asthmatics suffer from chemical dependancies and/or severe emotional/psychological problems. Despite correct medication and monitoring regimes these patients continue to require high dose steroids and frequent hospitalizations. Recently, we started using a neuropsychologist on our team to help these patients and we are beginning to see positive results. I have rambled on.  This topic lends to that tendency — thanks and best regards Paul Horn – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am glad you are doing well. Everyone including asthmatics should exercise! snipped<  GEE Paul!!!!!    Wish you were in Canada and close to me! (You sound wonderful) I have had to take things into my own hands for my Son, because his pediatrician seems to be to layed back when it comes to Asthma (although othrewise he is a great Doc) Tammie-Lee<<

Response:

First you can "outgrow " asthma.

Just nit-picking here. You do not outgrow asthma.  What happens is that it can go into remission during the early teens.

Response:

First you can "outgrow " asthma. Second the medications you listed are notoriously inafective for most asthmatiics and some aren’t even truly labled asthma medications. next swimming is the best exercise for asthmatics as it keeps the body cool and avoids stressing the chest. apperantly your asthma was only exercise induced and most people in that category can go with out medication. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

First you can "outgrow " asthma. You do not outgrow asthma. As I understand it gentlemen, you’re both correct.

Actually, colin is closer than steven. As a nurse who dealt with adult asthmatics, I can’t tell you the number of times I would get a young adult (actually, even older ones) in a severe crisis saying "but I outgrew the asthma years ago."  I would explain to them that they didn’t outgrow it, they went into remission for many years but soemthing triggered it again. The asthma left their airways very fragile. Often it is a stressor (physical usually) that exacerbates the situation and then "leaves" the person with asthma once again. I’ve had to explain this to my in-laws as my children’s asthma improves. They were utterly convinced that the kids would outgrow it as we see them improving. Their son, my children’s uncle, asthmatic as a child, had "outgrown" it.  A few years ago, this uncle (in his late 40s) found himself, once again, on anti-asthma meds. Marijke — my fun: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/2716 Marijke Durning, RN my work: http://www.mediconsult.com

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – First you can "outgrow " asthma. You do not outgrow asthma. As I understand it gentlemen, you’re both correct. Actually, colin is closer than steven. As a nurse who dealt with adult asthmatics, I can’t tell you the number of times I would get a young adult (actually, even older ones) in a severe crisis saying "but I outgrew the asthma years ago."  I would explain to them that they didn’t outgrow it, they went into remission for many years but soemthing triggered it again. The asthma left their airways very fragile. Often it is a stressor (physical usually) that exacerbates the situation and then "leaves" the person with asthma once again. I’ve had to explain this to my in-laws as my children’s asthma improves. They were utterly convinced that the kids would outgrow it as we see them improving. Their son, my children’s uncle, asthmatic as a child, had "outgrown" it.  A few years ago, this uncle (in his late 40s) found himself, once again, on anti-asthma meds. Marijke — my fun: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/2716 Marijke Durning, RN my work: http://www.mediconsult.com

That is exactly what happened to me.  My asthma went into remission in my late childhood and came back when I was 24.  An interesting thing I noticed is that my asthma is different now.  When I was a kid, I wheezed like Darth Vader in a triathalon, but now I just cough and choke.  And my asthma was life-threatening as a child, but now it isn’t.  Just affects my quality of life.  Has anyone else noticed this? Woodinat Joel: What do you want for Christmas, Crow? Crow: I wanna decide who lives and who dies Joel: Oh, I don’t know…

Response:

Hello my name is Ty and I have had asthma since I was 3 years old. From 3 years old to 16 I have been admitted into emergency rooms avery other month. from 10 years old I used to give myself adrenaline shots all the way up until 15 years old. I have been on prednisone, alupent, bechlomethasone, vanceril, slo-phyllin, theodur, theophyline, you name it I was on it. I was married in 1990 to my now lovely wife – I was 19 at the time. It was her idea to ween me off my medication. All these medications just make you weaker and weaker. My wife told me to cut the medication by 25% for two weeks, then another 25% for two weeks and so on until I wss no longer taking medication. It worked, I was weened of this terrible junk. from 19 to 26 I had quite a few asthma attacks especially in the pollen season here in Arizona. Two years ago when I was 26 I started to swim. Af first I could barely do a lap. Now I swim 700 (3/4 of a mile )yards a day without a  problem with my asthma. Now the only time I get asthma is when I run a few miles, then I start to wheeze, but it is induced by the jogging. I plan to compete in Tri-athelons. I hike two days a week, swim 7 days a weeks, I fel great .. When I do not excecise I feel my asthma is just around the corner. I am still allergic to other peoples cats and dogs , but not my own. To All you Parents who stay up at night worrying about your loved ones breathing make sure when your child grow up, enroll him/her into swimming or any type of cardiovascular excercise I assure you It will do wonders. Gary Hall is An Asthmatic so are many other athletes, that probably why there in the sport. It’s always good to keep around an Alupent Inhaler though ! I hope this can help you with your asthma ! Sincerely, Ty Chu

Response:

Question:

our 15 month has finally been diagnosed with asthma.  It seems impossible for our daughter to administer Asthmacort or Belcovant(not sure I spelled it right).  Are there alternatives, natural helps.  He is so small, actually small for his age.  He also has low muscle tone that has kept him from doing things when other children do them.  This condition is being worked on by a group associated with Easter Seals.  Could his asthma be causing these other conditions, low weight, small size, low muscle tone?  His doctor said previously that he could/would not diagnose a child under 5 years of age with asthma, but do to the seriousness of this childs condition, he finally did diagnose it today. We welcome any experience available. Shirley Mulanix

Response:

Hi Shirley, You might find some information of use on a site I maintain for parents of asthmatic kids. My son (now almost 7) was first diagnosed at 15 months and has been on many meds since that time. There are stories from other parents on the site, as well as a discussion board just for parents of asthmatics. Best wishes to you and your family! Jeanne http://jacy.com/asthma/ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -our 15 month has finally been diagnosed with asthma.  It seems impossible for our daughter to administer Asthmacort or Belcovant(not sure I spelled it right).  Are there alternatives, natural helps.  He is so small, actually small for his age.  He also has low muscle tone that has kept him from doing things when other children do them.  This condition is being worked on by a group associated with Easter Seals.  Could his asthma be causing these other conditions, low weight, small size, low muscle tone?  His doctor said previously that he could/would not diagnose a child under 5 years of age with asthma, but do to the seriousness of this childs condition, he finally did diagnose it today. We welcome any experience available. Shirley Mulanix

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – our 15 month has finally been diagnosed with asthma.  It seems impossible for our daughter to administer Asthmacort or Belcovant(not sure I spelled it right).  Are there alternatives, natural helps.  He is so small, actually small for his age.  He also has low muscle tone that has kept him from doing things when other children do them.  This condition is being worked on by a group associated with Easter Seals.  Could his asthma be causing these other conditions, low weight, small size, low muscle tone?  His doctor said previously that he could/would not diagnose a child under 5 years of age with asthma, but do to the seriousness of this childs condition, he finally did diagnose it today. We welcome any experience available. Shirley Mulanix

Untreated asthma in an infant can result in small size. The steroid inhalers, Azmacort or Beclovent, can be administered to an infant using an AeroChamber spacer and mask. An infant with Moderate or Severe asthma should be referred to a pediatric asthma specialist for treatment. By Easter Seal people, I think you mean the American Lung Association. They have a lot of good information. There is a definite medical protocal for treating asthma in infants. Asthma can be a life-threatening disease. Trying ‘alternative’ treatments on an infant is not a good idea, unless approved by the asthma specialist. Here are some links: http://www.ama-assn.org/aps/asthma/infant.htm What If Your Infant Has Asthma? "AMA Physician Select Reference Library What If Your Infant Has Asthma? The lungs of an infant do not function as efficiently as the lungs of an older child. As a result, a severe episode of asthma in an infant can quickly result in lung failure. What to Do Follow the appointment schedule for checking on your infant’s asthma. Your physician will want to see your baby regularly, even if your baby is not having symptoms. If your infant has asthma symptoms, act quickly. Follow the asthma action plan your physician developed for handling symptoms. Watch your infant closely for signs to seek emergency care. These signs include: Breathing rate increases (to over 40 breaths per minute while the infant  is sleeping). Count the number of breaths in 15 seconds and multiply by 4. Suckling or feeding stops, or becomes difficult. Skin between your infant’s ribs is pulled tight. Coloring changes (pale or red face; fingernails turn blue). Cry changes in quality becomes softer and shorter. Nostrils open wider (nasal flaring). Grunting. Be prepared. Do not wait until the last minute to learn how to handle an emergency. Have an asthma action plan that includes how you’ll get to your physician or hospital and who will watch your other children. Things to Be Aware of Asthma is sometimes more difficult to diagnose in young infants compared to older children. Many "nonasthma" diseases can mimic asthma. Over one third of children with asthma will have symptoms under 1 year of age and more than half will have had symptoms by 2 years of age. Even in infants, there are many medicines available to treat asthma. Concerns About Medications Many of the same medicines used for older children and adults can be safely used in infants. Most asthma medications have no long term effects that is, their use during infancy will not cause problems when your child is older or becomes an adult. Posted on 7/21/1997 This information sponsored by an unrestricted educational grant from Merck & Co., Inc.

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, My name is David Gathercole,my family and I live in the city of yellowknife,northwest territories,canada.It is is said that becuase our region is so arid that the number of children with asthma could be higher as opposed to other regions. So with this in mind ,I wonder if my three year old son,may just have this condition. What i am looking for is somme possible symptoms that i may recognise or watch for. If any one can help me it would be greatly appreciated. Best Regards, D.Gathercole

Here’s some links: http://www.aaaai.org/patpub/resource/publicat/tips/tip20.html  CHILDHOOD ASTHMA http://www.aaaai.org/profinfo/publicat/paramete/treatmen/children.html  Asthma in children Practice Parameters for the Diagnosis and treatment of Asthma (AAAAI) http://www.nejm.org/collections/asthma/OA-4/1.htm Asthma & Wheezing in the  First Six Years of Life (NEJM) http://www.lung.ca/ Canadian Lung Assoc http://www.njc.org/MFhtml/PSG_MF.html Pediatric Self-Management Guidelines

Question:

My own personal solution is to homeschool our children, although I know this is not the most common solution! Kudos to those teachers who are courteous enough to remove pets from their rooms and do all they can to help their students. I think many teachers don’t realize the seriousness of the disease unless they have personal experience. Karen

Response:

HELP! I need information, suggestions, stories of how YOU handled this situation! My 5 yr old daughter was diagnoised four yrs ago w/ asthma. WE have been managing fairly well and our trips to the ER and hospital were down this past yr. However, she just started kindergarten this yr and has been very ill almost since the first week.  My school is very sensitive about absences and has not responded to her asthma as seriously as I had hoped. I am at a loss as to what could be triggering these severe attacks at school? I just had to pick her up at school because her peak flow dropped into the dangerous red zone (again) WE cannot seem to get off the oral steroids now. I am very frustrated and worried. Any suggestions ideas? E mail me. Thanks!!!

Jodi, My son is 12 and has missed school almost constantly for the last year and a half. Public schools by law must educate your child one way or another. In our state, a child with a chronic illness must be excused without penalty if a doctor sends a note saying that child does have a chronic problem. That takes care of the unexcused absences but doesn’t help with the child’s education. I don’t know what they do for kindergarten students, but for older children, if the child cannot attend school at all for a while or permanently, the district must send a home teacher for an hour per school day ( 5 hours a week ) as long as the child can’t go to school. This may not sound like much, but with a little additional help from me, my son has kept up. There are 2 forms of home instruction in our area, regular homebound and intermittant homebound. With intermittant, the child can go to school part day or may go to school all day as long as possible for entire days, and the home teacher’s hours will be adjusted accordingly. The final possibility is for the parent to teach the child herself completely. I did not choose this since our goal is to get him back with his class as soon as possible. I want my son taking the same classes as his friends so that when he returns, he can fit in with his classwork at least. Hope this helps a little. You might talk with your school counselor and see what programs are available for your child until things stablize a bit. Good luck, Cathy

Response:

HELP! I need information, suggestions, stories of how YOU handled this situation! My 5 yr old daughter was diagnoised four yrs ago w/ asthma. WE have been managing fairly well and our trips to the ER and hospital were down this past yr. However, she just started kindergarten this yr and has been very ill almost since the first week.  My school is very sensitive about absences and has not responded to her asthma as seriously as I had hoped. I am at a loss as to what could be triggering these severe attacks at school? I just had to pick her up at school because her peak flow dropped into the dangerous red zone (again) WE cannot seem to get off the oral steroids now. I am very frustrated and worried. Any suggestions ideas? E mail me. Thanks!!!

My guess is that she’s reacting to something in her classroom. I’ve had to ask for several adjustments for my sons. My notes: — My older son’s class now has a fish tank instead of a guinea pig. His teacher was very understanding and quietly farmed the guinea pig out to a different class. Another parent whose child has asthma appreciated it too. — This year our elementary school implemented a policy that if a child brings a pet in to share, the pet can stay in the school for a maximum of 15 minutes. If an animal is brought to my son’s class, my son is sent to the library for free reading. — Because of his dust mite allergies, my son knows not to sit on the beanbag chair in his class (sitting on the beanbag chair is used as a reward). You can see the puffs of dust fly up when you sit down. — I’m not thrilled that every classroom is carpeted. — There isn’t much you can do about the animal dander from kids who have pets at home. — There is no school nurse. ALL medications are kept in the office and are dispensed by the school secretaries. I hate this system, and don’t really trust them to give the right meds to the right kids in between typing and answering the phone. — I’ve asked my younger son’s teacher (preschool) and the gym teacher to watch his breathing after physical activity. He can go from just fine to an ER visit within an hour or so. — I’ve been very verbal warning the preschool teacher to NEVER bring a cat into the classroom, not even for a visit. (15 minutes, and I can pretty much guarantee a visit to the ER.) — If your child uses a steroid inhaler, I would increase the daily dose for a while. Mary

Response:

Ditto to the pedi-curd. You must have gone through her school room and checked for the triggers that you know. One thing that caught us — sitting next to and playing with a child who has lots of cats and like to hug them and squeeze them and carry off the hair and dander to school. Does she have food triggers? Could something cooking in the kitchen get into the airways and ducts. What about those ducts – mold growing? Stress will catch my daughter at home and school. Running around in the cold air outside. Chalk dust or other classroom’s pets (through an open door or during a visit to that classroom) can trigger an attack. In the school not being supportive – how do you mean? More specific examples might help with some answers. And try this website for Mothers of Asthmatics http://www.podi.com/health/aanma good luck, Kathy

Response:

HELP! I need information, suggestions, stories of how YOU handled this situation! My 5 yr old daughter was diagnoised four yrs ago w/ asthma. WE have been managing fairly well and our trips to the ER and hospital were down this past yr. However, she just started kindergarten this yr and has been very ill almost since the first week.  My school is very sensitive about absences and has not responded to her asthma as seriously as I had hoped. I am at a loss as to what could be triggering these severe attacks at school? I just had to pick her up at school because her peak flow dropped into the dangerous red zone (again) WE cannot seem to get off the oral steroids now. I am very frustrated and worried. Any suggestions ideas? E mail me. Thanks!!!

It sounds like she has Severe asthma (Step 4) since she is on oral steroids and makes trips to ER and hospital. The first question is how well the asthma is controlled at home; does she usually stay in the green on the peak flow meter with minimum symptoms. Is she seeing a pediatric allergist? With this degree of asthma she should be. Have her allergies been tested and measures taken to minimize exposure? Is any upper airway congestion being treated? Have you tried weaning her off oral steroids using the new high strength steroid inhaler Flovent? Is she using a long-acting bronchodilator like Serevent or TheoDur. Do you send a Ventolin type ‘rescue’ inhaler to school for use when she has symptoms? In the school setting have you talked to her teacher about her asthma, watching her for symptoms and arranging for her Ventolin when she wheezes? If the children are sent out into the cold air to play, she might have to stay inside since cold air is an asthma trigger, along with exercise. Is there a school nurse in charge of asthma meds? Here are some links on childhood asthma: CHILDHOOD  ASTHMA http://www.aaaai.org/patpub/resource/publicat/tips/tip19.html Asthma  and the School Child http://www.aaaai.org/patpub/resource/publicat/tips/tip20.html CHILDHOOD ASTHMA http://www.aaaai.org/profinfo/publicat/paramete/treatmen/children.html Asthma  in children  Practice Parameters for the Diagnosis and treatment of Asthma http://www.aaaai.org/profinfo/publicat/paramete/treatmen/school.html Asthma  in the school setting http://www.aap.org/new/sitemap.htm  American Academy of Pediatrics http://www.aap.org/policy/office.htm  Acute Exacerbation, child http://www.ama-assn.org/special/asthma/treatmnt/guide/aaps.htm Acute  Exacerbations, child http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/nhlbi/lung/asthma/gp/phy_asth.htm Asthma &  Physical Activity in the School http://www.njc.org/MSU/10n9MSU_Ped_Resp_Dis.html Pediatric Respiratory  Diseases

Question:

My son (age 6 months) was diagnosed with Asthma.  But yet, they will not give me a referral to take him to a specialist.  And I need one for the insurance co.  What should I do?  His dr says it is asthma, another dr in the practice says it is a *wheezing problem*-but since his chest was clear the last 2 visits, he is on Intal and Albuterol inhaler, he feels there isn’t much of a problem.  I say that it is good, his chest was clear the last 2 visits, does that mean he is cured?  The 2 visits were in a matter of days. Jacqui PS-any thoughts?!?

Response:

My son (age 6 months) was diagnosed with Asthma.  But yet, they will not give me a referral to take him to a specialist.  And I need one for the insurance co.  What should I do?  His dr says it is asthma, another dr in the practice says it is a *wheezing problem*-but since his chest was clear the last 2 visits, he is on Intal and Albuterol inhaler, he feels there isn’t much of a problem.  I say that it is good, his chest was clear the last 2 visits, does that mean he is cured?  The 2 visits were in a matter of days. Jacqui PS-any thoughts?!?

This is where being obnoxiously persistent pays off: 1.  Inquire whether the doctors get a penalty or bonus based on their number of referrals to specialists. 2.  Call your insurance company, and ask for the appeal procedure.  Then, file the appeal. 3.  Write the doctors in the practice, and ask for a WRITTEN explanation of why a referral is not appropriate. 4.  Document out the wazoo.  Send every letter certified, with a return receipt.  Make a record of every phone call. And, no, your son isn’t cured . . . he is CURRENTLY under control. Chris Owens

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My son (age 6 months) was diagnosed with Asthma.  But yet, they will not give me a referral to take him to a specialist.  And I need one for the insurance co.  What should I do?  His dr says it is asthma, another dr in the practice says it is a *wheezing problem*-but since his chest was clear the last 2 visits, he is on Intal and Albuterol inhaler, he feels there isn’t much of a problem.  I say that it is good, his chest was clear the last 2 visits, does that mean he is cured?  The 2 visits were in a matter of days. Jacqui PS-any thoughts?!?

This is where being obnoxiously persistent pays off:

1.  Inquire whether the doctors get a penalty or bonus based on their

number of referrals to specialists.

2.  Call your insurance company, and ask for the appeal procedure.  Then,

file the appeal. 3.  Write the doctors in the practice, and ask for a WRITTEN explanation

of why a referral is not appropriate. 4. Document out the wazoo.  Send every letter certified, with a return receipt. Make a record of every phone call.

And, no, your son isn’t cured . . . he is CURRENTLY under control.

Chris Owens Being obnoxious never pays off, and especially not where health care is concerned. What constructive benefit would one receive from escalating an already confrontational situation.  After all, one is dealing with repairing one’s health here, not about the repair of a K Mart TV.   Do something positive, place your efforts into building an amicable relationship with a different primary care physician, your present one is history.  If you’re aggravated now, just wait until you begin litigation with your insurance carrier. Your keyword should not be "control", it should be "trust".  For ‘control’ engage an attorney, not a doctor. Sheldon

Response:

My son (age 6 months) was diagnosed with Asthma.  But yet, they will not give me a referral to take him to a specialist.  And I need one for the insurance co.  What should I do?  His dr says it is asthma, another dr in the practice says it is a *wheezing problem*-but since his chest was clear the last 2 visits, he is on Intal and Albuterol inhaler, he feels there isn’t much of a problem.  I say that it is good, his chest was clear the last 2 visits, does that mean he is cured?  The 2 visits were in a matter of days. Jacqui PS-any thoughts?!?

Being diagnosed with asthma does not get you an automatic referral to a specialist under managed care. Most pediatricians can treat mild cases of infant asthma/RAD (reactive airway disease) as well as asthma exacerbations. Intal and albuterol inhalers are appropriate treatment. His asthma is not ‘cured’, its controlled by asthma meds. He may outgrow the condition as he grows and his airways increase in size. I suggest you learn more about asthma so you can work productively work with your pediatrician. If the asthma degrades to Moderate or Severe, a referral to a specialist or consultation of the pediatrician with a specialist may be appropriate. Of course you can always see a specialist on your own at your own expense if this would make you feel more comfortable. A good book is ‘Children with Asthma’, Plaut, MD, www.pedipress.com Also see: http://www.nejm.org/collections/asthma/OA-4/1.htm Asthma & Wheezing    in the First Six Years of Life http://www.aaaai.org/patpub/resource/publicat/tips/tip20.html  CHILDHOOD ASTHMA http://www.podi.com/health/aanma/ Allergy and Asthma Network,  Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc http://www.njc.org/MSU/10n9MSU_Ped_Resp_Dis.html Pediatric Respiratory Diseases

Question:

My 3 1/2 yr old daughter has had problems since she was born.  She had a severe case of RSV when she was 7 weeks old.  Since then she has had bouts of "crouplike" symptoms atleast 5 times a year.  I’ve  taken her to a few different doctors, some who insist it is croup, some insist it’s asthma. Croup is supposed to be contagious, but yet, no child she has ever been near when she has this cough, has gotten croup.  From you who know more about asthma, do the children sound like they  have croup, how do I find out what this is.  I feel horrible for her, Mommy should be able to fix it all, and when she has an attach and can’t breath, there is nothing I can do!   Please help!!!  She sees an asthma specialist in late jan.  but I can’t wait that long!         THANKS

Usually if you call your doc and say your child is having a very hard time breathing and you are scared to wait until Jan. they will see you on an emergency visit. I’ve had to do that twice with my daughter. If that doesn’t work call everyday and ask advice, bug them until they get you an appointment! Or find another doc that will see ya’ll sooner. Suzanne — [Feel free to steal the Following sig. I did] And for you automated email spammers out there, here’s the email addresses of the current board of the Federal Communications Commission:

Response:

I have 2 kids w/ asthma–one who had croup a couple of times last year (he was under 1.)  My son sounded quite different w/ croup than when he has asthma–but I have no idea if that’s always the case.  My understanding is that some kids are more prone to croup than others, and that the virus might just cause cold symptoms in other kids. Have you tried albuterol?  Ideally you’d use inhaled albuterol w/ a nebulizer, but liquid albuterol would be ok to start with.  Is it easier for her to breathe if she has albuterol?  It seems to me that this would be a good way of figuring out if it’s asthma or not (or at least what helps.) And if albuterol doesn’t work, my pediatrician aunt tells me there is a drug that takes care of croup attacks.  I don’t know how commonly it’s prescribed–but she told me I should ask for a prescription to have on hand–to avoid a mid-night ER run. When my son (2nd child) had problems breathing, and I thought it was asthma, I took him to the doctor right then and there for a nebulized asthma treatment.  I had the stuff at home (from my 1st kid), but I wanted someone to see what was happening and get it in his chart.  This happened during the day.  With my daughter, we finally clued in in the middle of the night–when it became clear she needed to go to the ER. If I was really concerned about my kid, I’d insist on advice before late January.  (I’d point out that it would be more expensive for my insurance company for me to have to go to the ER–possibly more than one time–than to be seen by a specialist.)   Good luck!   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My 3 1/2 yr old daughter has had problems since she was born.  She had a severe case of RSV when she was 7 weeks old.  Since then she has had bouts of "crouplike" symptoms atleast 5 times a year.  I’ve  taken her to a few different doctors, some who insist it is croup, some insist it’s asthma. Croup is supposed to be contagious, but yet, no child she has ever been near when she has this cough, has gotten croup.  From you who know more about asthma, do the children sound like they  have croup, how do I find out what this is.  I feel horrible for her, Mommy should be able to fix it all, and when she has an attach and can’t breath, there is nothing I can do!   Please help!!!  She sees an asthma specialist in late jan.  but I can’t wait that long!         THANKS

Response:

My 3 1/2 yr old daughter has had problems since she was born.  She had a severe case of RSV when she was 7 weeks old.  Since then she has had bouts of "crouplike" symptoms atleast 5 times a year.  I’ve  taken her to a few different doctors, some who insist it is croup, some insist it’s asthma. Croup is supposed to be contagious, but yet, no child she has ever been near when she has this cough, has gotten croup.  From you who know more about asthma, do the children sound like they  have croup, how do I find out what this is.  I feel horrible for her, Mommy should be able to fix it all, and when she has an attach and can’t breath, there is nothing I can do!   Please help!!!  She sees an asthma specialist in late jan.  but I can’t wait that long!         THANKS

Croup is inflammation of the larynx.  In the early stages, you can sometimes stop an attack with a shower (humidity) or cool air (going outside in the winter or standing the child in front of an open refrigerator).  In the ER, it’s treated with racemic epinephrine nebs rather than albuterol.  Kids often get a shot of Decadron as well as follow up prescriptions for prednisone.  Croup is usually triggered by an infection (usually viral), most other kids exposed to the virus just get a cold. We have NEVER been treated so quickly at the ER as when I brought in my 5 year old in the middle of a croup attack! Good luck, Kim

Response:

My 3 1/2 yr old daughter has had problems since she was born.  She had a severe case of RSV when she was 7 weeks old.  Since then she has had bouts of "crouplike" symptoms atleast 5 times a year.  I’ve  taken her to a few different doctors, some who insist it is croup, some insist it’s asthma. Croup is supposed to be contagious, but yet, no child she has ever been near when she has this cough, has gotten croup.  From you who know more about asthma, do the children sound like they  have croup, how do I find out what this is.  I feel horrible for her, Mommy should be able to fix it all, and when she has an attach and can’t breath, there is nothing I can do!   Please help!!!  She sees an asthma specialist in late jan.  but I can’t wait that long!         THANKS

Here are some links with more info: http://www.arbon.com/njc/CRPMF.htm  Children and Croup Excerpt: "What is Croup?  Croup is a viral infection that usually affects children between the ages of three  months to five years. In most cases, croup follows an upper respiratory infection.  This illness is most often seen in the fall and winter during the cold season.  Croup tends to reoccur during childhood, but attacks disappear as the child  grows.  Common symptoms of croup include a low grade fever, a brassy, barking cough,  a hoarse cry, inspiratory stridor (a harsh sound from the windpipe during  inhalation) and difficulty breathing. These symptoms are caused by swelling and  muscle spasm in the throat and windpipe. Symptoms usually appear in the  evening and worsen at night. Croup may last from several days to several weeks.  Parents should expect a complete recovery.  Treatment of Croup at Home  In most cases, croup can be treated effectively at home. Treatment with cool mist  will relieve some of the distress of croup. Cool mist is effective in reducing fever,  reducing the swelling in the airway and thinning mucus secretions in the airway  for easy expectoration. Cool mist therapy may be delivered by directing a  vaporizer into the crib or playpen. The crib or playpen should be covered with a  sheet to create a warm, humid environment. Another option may be to run the  shower or tub water in the bathroom with the door closed for fifteen minutes or  so. This creates an environment high in humidity to relieve the coughing and  other symptoms associated with croup.  In addition to cool mist therapy, the child should receive adequate rest and drink  plenty of fluids. Because crying increases respiratory distress, care should be  taken to comfort and soothe the child.  Finally, it is very important to closely monitor the child with croup. Parents  should be aware of signs of increasing airway obstruction and seek medical care  if the child is experiencing respiratory distress. If the child experiences  continuous respiratory stridor, retractions around the neck or ribs (skin sinking  in) or severe breathing difficulty, it is important to seek prompt medical care.  Medical Management of Croup  Treatment of croup in the doctor’s office or hospital is similar to treatment at  home. Cool mist therapy in a croup tent will help relieve some of the distress of  croup symptoms. Inhaled medications and/or corticosteroids may be prescribed  to decrease the swelling and spasm of the upper airways. Because croup is a viral  infection, antibiotics are generally not used.  In addition to a croup tent and other medications, a doctor’s office or hospital  can provide constant monitoring of the child

Question:

I am looking for other parents  of young (toddler) asthmatics who have a way of monitoring your childs asthma.  My three year old has not mastered the peek flow. we have one but he doesn’t understand the concept.  All asthma diaries I have seen are based upon peak flow.  Has any one created an asthma diary for infant/toddler symptoms? What symptoms do you track. Please share.

Hi, One can monitoring such things as:  coughing, wheezing, waking up at night with cough and/or wheezing, use of medicines, etc.  Some of the sites listed below will have sample asthma symptoms diaries. Best wishes, Bill                   WWW Asthma Information Sites Global Initiative For Asthma:   http://www.ginasthma.com:80/asthma/ alt.support.asthma FAQ:  http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~wrean/asthma-gen.html alt.support.asthma FAQ: Asthma Medicines ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/medicine/asthma/medicines Mayo Clinic: http://healthnet.ivi.com/hnet/m602/me/asthma.htm Asthma Zero Mortality Coalition http://www.asthma.com The Children’s Mercy Hospital: http://www.cmh.edu/allergy/Allergy.HTM Colorado HealthNet: http://bcn.boulder.co.us/health/chn/asthma/asthma_main.html American Academy of Allergy and Immunology: http://www.aaaai.org National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine: http://www.njc.org Doctor’s Guide to the Internet: http://www.pslgroup.com/docguide.htm American Lung Association: http://www.lung.ca/asthma Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc.: http://www.podi.com/health/aanma/aandesc1.htm Childrden’s Medical Center at U of Virginia Health Science Center: http://galen.med.virginia.edu/~smb4v/cmchome.html American Association For Respiratory Care http://www.aarc.org The Australian Lung Foundation http://www.lungnet.org.au The Asthma Society of Canada http://westview.org/asthma/info.html Asthma Management Handbook http://hna.ffh.vic.gov.au/asthma/amh/amh.html Asthma Information Center http://www.gsf.de/wjst/asthma.htm American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology http://allergy.mcg.edu Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics http://www.podi.com/health/aanma American Association for Respiratory Care http://www.aarc.org/tips/asthma.htm

Response:

I am looking for other parents  of young (toddler) asthmatics who have a way of monitoring your childs asthma.  My three year old has not mastered the peek flow. we have one but he doesn’t understand the concept.  All asthma diaries I have seen are based upon peak flow.  Has any one created an asthma diary for infant/toddler symptoms? What symptoms do you track. Please share.

Response:

Our daughter started to cooperate w/ peak flow meters at about 3 1/2, so you may not be far away.  I think it helped that our doctor gave us one that made a sound if she blew sufficiently hard.  (It’s not very useful for everyday measurements, because you have to peel off and replace a piece of tape that blocks off holes, but I think it helped give her the idea of blowing hard.)  We now use a regular flow meter.   In addition to peak flow readings, I track whether or not she has a runny nose (helps me look out for sinus infections) and whether or not she’s coughing.  For a while I tracked how many times she woke up at night–because it seemed that she woke up more often at the start of a cold.  I write down all medications, so I can tell our doctor what’s been going on.  I also write down what he prescribes and when, so I can make an educated guess when we can’t get a hold of him right away. Good luck! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am looking for other parents  of young (toddler) asthmatics who have a way of monitoring your childs asthma.  My three year old has not mastered the peek flow. we have one but he doesn’t understand the concept.  All asthma diaries I have seen are based upon peak flow.  Has any one created an asthma diary for infant/toddler symptoms? What symptoms do you track. Please share.

Response: