Asthma- like I'm five

[ringstrue]

Anyone know the relationship between wheezing and your chances of developing asthma, especially in kids under 3? Dd has another URI but this time with wheezing and with her eczema, the docs were sort of preparing us for the reality that this could develop asthma.

I really just can't handle the idea that she could be asthmatic. Anyone wanna give me their input and/ or make me feel like an asthma diagnosis isn't the end of the world??

Also, how important is family history? We couldn't think of anyone with asthma except DHs mom.

[Deleted]

Asthma is not the end of the world. I have it and SD has it. So far the boys don't.

There is a link between kids with eczema and asthma.

If it is well controlled asthma isn't the end of the world. Currently, I'm in "remission". Seriously since we moved to TN (this may be the best part of living here) my asthma has practically disappeared. I'm no longer on daily meds and the only time I need an inhaler is when I get a respiratory infection, which I've also been getting fewer of, since we moved here.

SD's isn't as well controlled here, but she hasn't been to the ER in a few years as a result of asthma.

[brit1017]

I have asthma (and eczema). I'm also allergic to a ton of environmental allergens (mold, trees, grasses, dust, pets, etc, etc). No one in my family had asthma when I was diagnosed, though my sister who is 14 years younger was diagnosed as a child.

I wasn't diagnosed with asthma until I was a teenager, and have never had it very badly. I get wheezy when I have a high exposure to certain allergens or if I run, but I have always been well controlled with a rescue inhaler. I have only had two semi-serious attacks, but have never required treatment at a hospital.

[thejackpot]

Asthma, eczema and allergies commonly go hand in hand. DH's mom is a close connection. Having asthma is not a death sentence and while I understand not wanting your child to have it, it sounds like some of her symptoms point to asthma.

Ask your dr point blank if your lo has asthma. You would want to be knowledgeable about this condition as it truly is life-threatening. You will want to know what triggers asthma attacks.

My son does not have eczema but he does have allergies and asthma and many environmental factors can bring on distress. GL

[copzgirl1171]

Copzson has/d asthma. As a child it was severe and was hospitalized more times than I can remember. It took them a while to diagnose him just because they wanted to be sure they weren't dealing with CF and the tendency to over diagnose wheezing type colds as asthma.

His O2 sats would drop and his pulmonary function tests were shit. We were really upset at the diagnosis but grateful to know what we were dealing with.

Allergy kids and eczema kids are prone to asthma .

Honestly keeping it controlled is key but no matter how hard you try it sneaks up on you. I always had a nebulizer and steroids on hand for Copzson and that was my first line until I could get him to the doctor or ER. Different doctors will approach it differently but smacking it in the face at the first sign of trouble is key to keeping attacks from escalating.

It is scary, but thankfully treatment is available at the ready and you are already on top of it!

Hope M feels better soon.

Oh, and generally kids who have it as children get a "respite" in their teen and early adult years where is kind of goes in remission for a better word, but it tends to rear it's ugly head again in later adult years. Copzson is in a lull right now but a serious chest cold normally produces asthma symptoms for him

[eliseb0323]

DS has asthma, but it's not something that bothers him everyday or that he needs to take meds for everyday. He will wheeze or cough at night for a week or so after he has had a cold or other virus. We give him a couple of puffs of albuteral on an inhaler and he is fine for the night. He also will have an asthma attack when around cats. Again, albuteral or benedryl clear it up right away.

DS also has eczema, food allergies, pet allergies, and used to get really bad croup every time he got a cold or virus. It's all related.

[jaylea]

As others have said, any family history of allergies, eczema or allergies predisposes a child to having them.

DD had severe food allergies as an infant, and has/had eczema.
DS has eczema and allergies and we are heading to an asthma diagnosis. It's pretty much a given right now - he's had bouts of croup, wheezing, and we recently got our very own nebulizer for his treatments.

My brother has asthma. I had it as a child, but seem to have outgrown it - I haven't taken my inhaler in years.

So far with DS we've seen that colds linger. He gets wheezy and noisy breathing. He tends to always sound congested.

To be honest, right now our bigger focus is the eczema because he's had an out of control flare for several days.

[Deleted]

We are heading that way, too. No official diagnosis, but he wheezes and has bad allergies. He takes allergy meds and pro-air/albuterol inhaler.

[cookiemdough]

We don't have a family history but DS was diagnosed with asthma. He did not have eczema though. It seems he has grown out of it (thank goodness). In the last year, we have not had to use a nebulizer or take anything but over the counter meds.

[Deleted]

I have asthma. I never had breathing issues or even wheezing as a child so it was a bit of surprise when I started having trouble.

In any case, I have a maintenence inhaler, two puffs a day and I'm supposed to take a pill once a day. If I do that, I rarely need my emergency inhaler.

[LoveTrains]

H has asthma. It was very bad as a kid, but as an adult, he only needs an inhaler before exercise. He can get wheezy around allergy season (and around cats, one of his biggest triggers) and during cold/flu season, but its really not a big deal.

The only thing that sucks about asthma is that it makes buying health insurance on the individual market very expensive, so you really have to be sure that you have access to a group plan.

[ringstrue]

MIL's dad was a smoker so it's hard to apply her situation firmly. Now my mom says she remembers her sisters being "wheesy"... ok mom...

I'm trying to not freak out about it. I think having that prospect on the heals of a peanut allergy makes me feel like I'm going to spend her whole life worrying about her environment 10X more than normal parents and I'm going to end up like Nemo's Dad. I'm even wondering if I really want to have a 2nd kid ever? But I can't freak too much when she is wheezing from an obvious virus and not just normal activities/surroundings.

Thanks for your help. I know a lot of people have asthma but I haven't really been around that world myself.