asthma in toddlers?

Cattia · Jun 14th, 2011, 01:20 AM

My friend was just telling me yesterday that she thinks her son has asthma as he has had a cough at night for months which is OK in the day. Her sister who is a nurse told her this is the main way asthma is diagnosed in young children. Abigail has had a cough at night for ages which started with a cold but has not gone away. It had been a couple of months easily. We took her to the Dr but he said her chest was clear. Has anyone experienced similar? She has eczema so is allergy prone. It worries me to think of her having to take an inhaler.

Natnee · Jun 14th, 2011, 02:13 AM

Hi, sorry to hear about Abigail but I can totally sympathise with you. Belle has been like this for months, coughing at night. We have been to the doctors a couple of times and all I get is 'her chest is clear', 'is she teething at the moment?' 'It's just the mucus in her throat.' I just can't see that she's been CONSTANTLY teething for this many months. She has had a runny nose all this time though. Now asthma is something which has crossed my mind actually, however neither me or OH suffer from it, or have ezcema or any other allergies, so wonder if Belle could just start with an allergy or asthma without the family history.

Sorry I haven't really been able to answer your queries, but just wanted to let you know you are not alone in this worry, I will be watching this thread to see what other people say.

MissPiggy · Jun 14th, 2011, 02:17 AM

at the risk of sounding dumb lol

My nan always said a cough in the night was just down to dry air...so to have a boiling bowl of water (out of reach obviously) with a towel over it in the room...helps keep the air moist lol xxxx

Wellington · Jun 14th, 2011, 03:51 AM

They *generally* won't diagnose asthma in children under the age of 2. I don't know how old either your or your friends kiddies are.
Go to the GP and express your concerns and tell him/her all the symptoms.

pinkclaire · Jun 14th, 2011, 04:12 AM

We have similar with James and to start with they didn't take me seriously but then I went back to the doctors and got a really nice doctor who noticed he's breathing through his mouth not his nose and asked if he does that all the time which he does! She's given us antihistamine and it's made the world of difference! She said she thought it could be asthma but it's to early to tell but honestly I can't believe the difference in him! Might be worth a try? We just need to work out what he is allergic to now

Eternal · Jun 14th, 2011, 05:15 AM

you could try a humidifyer (sp?). my cousion had one for years and helped him loads.

My mum thinks my son had asthma too, i havent taken him to the doctors because at the moment im not worried, he does sometimes seem wheezy but seems to be when he has a cold. i havent noticed anything a night with my son.

Anyway, try a humidifyer and see if that helps, if not then keep going back.

bubbles123 · Jun 14th, 2011, 13:39 PM

My LO coughs at night some times too, not all the time though. He has eczema too and has prescribed antihistamines for when it's bad to help with sleep and the itching. If he's coughing I might try giving him some antihistamines then - thanks!
My OH has asthma and so do many people in his family as well as my brother so unfortunately I do expect there will be a chance he will have asthma too.

Mum2b_Claire · Jun 14th, 2011, 13:43 PM

Ruby was like this on and off all winter, and the Dr was basically like 'yeah she's probably got asthma' but they can't diagnose it until much older. We've had no coughs since the weather warmed up though, so I'm not sure.

Cattia · Jun 14th, 2011, 14:05 PM

Hmmmm, thanks everyone. It seems like I will just have to wait and see. Hopefully it will improve sd summer progresses. Bit of a worry though

polaris · Jun 14th, 2011, 14:11 PM

Thomas was like this for a few months and I was very worried about asthma as OH has asthma. But it seems to have cleared up now so I'm hoping that it's not.

Jun 14th, 2011, 01:20 AM	#1
Cattia Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 6,750	asthma in toddlers? My friend was just telling me yesterday that she thinks her son has asthma as he has had a cough at night for months which is OK in the day. Her sister who is a nurse told her this is the main way asthma is diagnosed in young children. Abigail has had a cough at night for ages which started with a cold but has not gone away. It had been a couple of months easily. We took her to the Dr but he said her chest was clear. Has anyone experienced similar? She has eczema so is allergy prone. It worries me to think of her having to take an inhaler.

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Jun 14th, 2011, 02:13 AM	#2
Natnee Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Kent Posts: 1,609	Hi, sorry to hear about Abigail but I can totally sympathise with you. Belle has been like this for months, coughing at night. We have been to the doctors a couple of times and all I get is 'her chest is clear', 'is she teething at the moment?' 'It's just the mucus in her throat.' I just can't see that she's been CONSTANTLY teething for this many months. She has had a runny nose all this time though. Now asthma is something which has crossed my mind actually, however neither me or OH suffer from it, or have ezcema or any other allergies, so wonder if Belle could just start with an allergy or asthma without the family history. Sorry I haven't really been able to answer your queries, but just wanted to let you know you are not alone in this worry, I will be watching this thread to see what other people say.

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Jun 14th, 2011, 02:17 AM	#3
MissPiggy Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: cornwall Posts: 605	at the risk of sounding dumb lol My nan always said a cough in the night was just down to dry air...so to have a boiling bowl of water (out of reach obviously) with a towel over it in the room...helps keep the air moist lol xxxx

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Jun 14th, 2011, 03:51 AM	#4
Wellington Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Hampshire UK Posts: 649	They generally won't diagnose asthma in children under the age of 2. I don't know how old either your or your friends kiddies are. Go to the GP and express your concerns and tell him/her all the symptoms.

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Jun 14th, 2011, 04:12 AM	#5
pinkclaire Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 7,635	We have similar with James and to start with they didn't take me seriously but then I went back to the doctors and got a really nice doctor who noticed he's breathing through his mouth not his nose and asked if he does that all the time which he does! She's given us antihistamine and it's made the world of difference! She said she thought it could be asthma but it's to early to tell but honestly I can't believe the difference in him! Might be worth a try? We just need to work out what he is allergic to now

Status: Offline

Jun 14th, 2011, 05:15 AM	#6
Eternal Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Swansea, Wales Posts: 8,004	you could try a humidifyer (sp?). my cousion had one for years and helped him loads. My mum thinks my son had asthma too, i havent taken him to the doctors because at the moment im not worried, he does sometimes seem wheezy but seems to be when he has a cold. i havent noticed anything a night with my son. Anyway, try a humidifyer and see if that helps, if not then keep going back.

Status: Offline

Jun 14th, 2011, 13:39 PM	#7
bubbles123 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 2,535	My LO coughs at night some times too, not all the time though. He has eczema too and has prescribed antihistamines for when it's bad to help with sleep and the itching. If he's coughing I might try giving him some antihistamines then - thanks! My OH has asthma and so do many people in his family as well as my brother so unfortunately I do expect there will be a chance he will have asthma too.

Status: Offline

Jun 14th, 2011, 13:43 PM	#8
Mum2b_Claire Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Kent Posts: 16,777	Ruby was like this on and off all winter, and the Dr was basically like 'yeah she's probably got asthma' but they can't diagnose it until much older. We've had no coughs since the weather warmed up though, so I'm not sure.

Status: Offline

Jun 14th, 2011, 14:05 PM	#9
Cattia Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 6,750	Hmmmm, thanks everyone. It seems like I will just have to wait and see. Hopefully it will improve sd summer progresses. Bit of a worry though

Status: Offline

Jun 14th, 2011, 14:11 PM	#10
polaris Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Ireland Posts: 7,742	Thomas was like this for a few months and I was very worried about asthma as OH has asthma. But it seems to have cleared up now so I'm hoping that it's not.

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