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Children's health

Salbutomol and happy wheezers

3 replies

tiggersreturn · 27/01/2013 14:54

Dt2 is a "happy wheezer" meaning he wheezes when he has colds and coughs while remaining a happy smiley person and has been diagnosed by various paediatricians as such. The advice I've been given is that if the wheezing is distressing him to give him salbutomol via an inhaler and bring to casualty if has trouble breathing. Thankfully the latter hasn't happened.

My usual practice is to only give the inhaler when he has a cold/cough and is wheezing, not every small wheeze when he is otherwise fine. Other "helpful" people have given advice to give it all the time and have claimed that he is probably asthmatic. One of my bil has asthma so this is a concern. Dt2 also has mild eczma.

I would be interested in hearing from anyone else who's had a happy wheezer. How often did you give an inhaler? Are there any side effects? Did your happy wheezer develop asthma and if so when?

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Sirzy · 27/01/2013 19:31

Slightly different as DS (3) is asthmatic but I didn't want to leave your post unanswered.

Knowing when to give the ventolin is always hard, but I am with you and don't give it at the first sign of a wheeze instead waiting to see how he gets on and encouraging quite activities. I think you do learn when its needed.

Apparently in the case of most little ones who are wheezy they outgrow it as they get older especially if it is generally virus induced.

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dribbleface · 27/01/2013 20:27

DS1 was a happy wheezer from about 9 mths, but did develop asthma (he's now 4, i'd say asthma from about 15mths but they don't diagnose that early just treated for it), DS2 is a happy wheezer too but seems to be less so, no asthma yet (but only 16 mths, although DS1 was on clenil by then)

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tiggersreturn · 27/01/2013 21:14

Thanks for the responses. Dt2 was diagnosed at about 12 weeks and was prem too with a non-breathing episode at 4 weeks so breathing has been a concern for quite some time. I do hope it will disappear as he gets older.

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