[2Bthinagain]

My son has asthma, he is five.
We were told to give him Pulmicort 2x a day in his nebulizer...and singulair at night - no matter what - he takes those two prescriptions every day.
When he gets a bad cough - we give him albuterol 3-4x a day - for 3 days.
Well he started coughing bad on Friday - and we're doing what we should - but he's worse - not better.
Tonight he threw up -- two episodes.
The last time this happened -- the doctors finally said - it was "probably" the whooping cough - he had never thrown up from coughing fits before that.
It lasted EIGHT weeks...almost EVERY DAY and EVERY NIGHT.
Well now that he's thrown up from coughing - I'm wondering - is it the darn whooping cough again? Last time they never did the test -- by the time they realized and admitted it could have been- the 8 weeks was up and said there was no point in doing the test.
Other than that - why aren't the medicines helping? He's coughing so much, I'm thinking of taking him to the E.R. at 11pm ....I really want him to sleep....and maybe call the pulminologist tomorrow - but I don't know what to do.
I just want my baby to stop coughing so much and get some rest.
Any advice?

[brandnewme]

I replied in PM but just wanted to send well wishes to you guys again. Let us know how he's doing!

[flatiron]

Originally Posted by 2Bthinagain

My son has asthma, he is five.
I just want my baby to stop coughing so much and get some rest.
Any advice?

Poor little fella, I hope you figure out what to do.

I have no advice except to say that I had asthma as a kid and it eventually went away as I got older. Well really it's reactive now and I know what the triggers are (very fine dust) so I just stay away or protect myself.

So sometimes it isn't for all your life. And hopefully it won't be for yours!

[Devsmama]

My son is asthmatic. When he starts coughing like that he takes his albuterol immediately. If it doesn't get better with that, then we go to the ER or to urgent care, but he is 14 and I have been in the game with him for a long time with asthma. Sometimes I will let him stand in a steamy room like the bathroom, that helps sometimes. But normally if he is throwing up or he tells me he doesn't feel right, then we just go.

[squeak351]

Just because he vomits when he coughs does not automatically mean his has whoopping cough. sometimes they cough so hard so much it triggers their gag reflex. Sometimes it's lots of mucous. Defintely give the doctor a call. If it's not helping, then maybe something else is wrong on top of his asthma. Also, just a little tidbit. If the albuterol makes him jumpy, jittery or nervous and interferes with his sleep. (DD was in hosp for asthma and hypoxia, low oxygen in the blood several times and it always did her that way.) Then ask for Xopenex. It's basically albuterol without the side effects. It made a world of difference for my dd.

I do hope he gets better soon and you all get some much deserved rest.

[LittleMoonRabbit]

I grew up with asthma. However, it sounds like your son has it much more severe than I ever did. I take Advair to control it, and atrovent when I still have an attack while on the Advair. It works really well for me. I used to have to take my albuterol 4-6 times a day in the winter because the cold air would always set it off- that's when I got tested and my doctor switched me to Advair and Atrovent. I am not sure what to tell you, other than possibly discussing other options with your son's pediatrician, to see if there is a different cocktail that might be more effective. Also, just making sure he stays away from any triggers that set off an attack.

[LittleMoonRabbit]

Also, I don't know about your son, but whenever my Albuterol wasn't doing enough to help with my attacks, I would take a hot shower. I found it not only helped to loosen all the stuff in my lungs but it also helped me to relax... any time I would get tense and start to panic because of an attack, the stress made my muscles tighten and the constriction got much worse.

[2Bthinagain]

Flatiron - we've been told he could outgrow it - yet we've met people they say they "thought" their kids outgrew it around age 7 only for it to come back in full force at 16.

Devsmama - what do they do when you get to the ER? The one time I took him to the ER for it, they gave him a shot of steroid. The thing that blows our mind is that he's BEEN on pulmicort 2x a day now for a couple of months and it's not making a different - and the albuterol this time is doing nothing. Just curious what they do for you in the ER. We hate the steriods and if there was another option we'd look into it.

squeak351 - I agree - about the vomiting thing - his whole life when he did vomit - with the cough it was usually clear - mucas stuff. The last time it was his stomach contents - it lasted every single day for 8 weeks - and all the docs agreed it was whooping cough - they just failed to order the test in time to treat it. And whooping cough was sweeping the area at the time. I'm angry that they didn't do the test - but today they did one. So we'll find out. The albuterol does not make him jittery, but it's good to know about Xopenex - it might work better. Thanks for the tip.

Littlemoon - it's funny about triggers - sometimes I think cold air will trigger it - and other times he can be in the cold air and he's just fine. Sometimes I think running fast and playing hard will trigger it - and other times it does not. I think I've finally decided to have him tested for allergies - even though he is on singulair - and it does nothing to help. And we do like the hot showers - he had one last night - but it didn't help

UPDATE:
Went to the pediatrician this morning - he said to keep doing the albuterol - the pulminologist called and said STOP the albuterol since it's not helping. The pulminologist wants us to start using the nasal spray for the rest of the week...said if son was stuffy then he wouldn't be getting the albuterol - um, what about it going through his mouth??
So finally - the ped let me do a test for whooping cough - just so we can rule it out...and when he's over this cold/cough - I will test him for allergies.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. It's just so darn scary when they cough that hard and you feel so helpless.

[Devsmama]

This is what I do with Devyn. Like littlemoon said, the steam for the shower works wonders..that's what I was saying earlier about putting them in a steamy room. Devyn's is cold weather asthma, he only uses the albuterol as a rescue inhaler, he doesn't use it every day. He does uses Flovent in the winter and spring only. When the temp is above 55 for whatever reason, dev does good. At the ER they just give him breathing treatments every 15 minutes and thats it. He doesn't get steroids anymore. he also plays sports, baseball, swimming, and football, so believe me there are times when we still carry the albuterol. Forgot to add...he just had a cold two weeks ago and coughed until he threw up. The doctor wanted him to use his albuterol but he didn't want to, he said he was fine, so they put him on a cough suppressant...

[flatiron]

Originally Posted by 2Bthinagain

Flatiron - we've been told he could outgrow it - yet we've met people they say they "thought" their kids outgrew it around age 7 only for it to come back in full force at 16.

Yep no guarantees you just have to hope and pray. In my case it got less severe as I got older and after a while I figured out myself what my trigger is. It is fine dust like if you were sanding furniture or sheet rock or sweeping up in a dusty attic stuff like that. I just wear a dust mask and I am OK.

I still have a prescription for Albuterol and keep a can in both my vehicles and in my house but haven't had to use it in years but the doc says keep it around "just in case"

There have been quite a few cases of people dying because they hadn't had an attack in a long time and so they stopped filling their meds and they get an attack and can't get to an ER.

I know you son is young but talk to him. Keep a log of what he is doing every time he has an attack. Play detective and try and find a connection somewhere. You may find out what his triggers are for sure and be able to avoid them.

I remember cold air was a trigger for me too a long time ago but it is not anymore. Now I carry dust masks around with me too. I have been joked by my friends for wearing one but I don't care better than not breathing.

good luck!