Cough Variant Asthma

[charliesmom05]

thank you jazzy for responding, I will look in to your suggestions.

I did not know you responded to my post. I don't know how to tell if anyone has, other than finding all the post I've made, and I don't have time to do that... I only found this one because I was searching asthma and found my post and your response.

Charlie has been to the dr 3 times and the urgent care once already in October. He is in bed now, and has been coughing nonstop for over an hour.

The doctor yesterday said the same as the other three, it's probably allergies and asthma. this dr said we need to hit it with the kitchen sink And so now Charlie is on a lot more meds including breathing treatments. I feel so darn helpless. I'm scared right now because his cough is getting worse and I can't do anything about it. He is asleep but hasnt had a sound nights sleep in 3 weeks or more. We had chest X-rays done on saturday and they are clear. I'm lost.

[JazzyMaxie]

3 weeks....not ok. After having a being surrounded by asthma all of my life, I was embarrassed when I did not realize that my son was having an asthma attack. His second visit to the ER was followed by a 3 day hospitalization. If Charlie continues to cough....you need to get him in to see someone else. No one should be coughing that much!

Yes...he may need breathing treatments, but his allergy also needs to be identified, as well as whatever else complicates the asthma. Coughing for 3 weeks....it sounds like he should be on a daily preventative med....he needs his sleep and so do you!

We see Dr. McNamara at Children's Critical Care and Respiratory Center. www.crccs.com/ He got the asthma under control right away, and we have way fewer doctor visits since Langston has been under his care! He also had a blood allergy test done the first time that we went in, because he knew that they were likely related! I wasn't shocked when they told me about the peanut allergy, but I also found out that Langston is as allergic to mold as he is peanuts...so that is a huge problem in and of itself in some conditions!

[charliesmom05]

I just called Children's Critical Care and Respiratory Center but cannot get Dr. McNamara until December and cannot get in with even a nurse practitioner until November 17th... I'm would like to take Charlie there but sooner than later would be nice. I didn't make an appointment just yet, I need to search around and see if I can't somehow get in sooner.
Thank you Jazzy, I would never have thought of this on my own. I have thought something else needs to be done and have been talking it over with my husband, that is why I took Charlie to the urgent care clinic, away from his doctors office to get another opinion, but with the 3 doctors and one NP we have seen, they all have said the same thing and none of it was to see a specialist yet.
I am now determined to find something else. So thank you again for taking the time to share

[JazzyMaxie]

I'm so sorry, Charlie's Mom....

A few more suggestions....I would make an appointment with Dr. Macnamara or a NP, but not wait until then for action. A specialist is going to be able to direct you for the long run...but something needs to be done now.

If you do decide to take him in again, consider taking him to Children's ER. These doctors are more accustomed to dealing with childhood asthma. I was very forunate during our second ER visit that the ER doc was Langston's original pediatrician when he was first born. Her husband is also my gynecologist....who has to work very hard to take care of my ailing ovaries....but I degress.

The other suggestion that I have is the school nurse. I cannot remember how old Charlie is, but my experience has shown that many school nurses are very adept with working with children and uncontrolled asthma, and is usually the second line of defense after the parents. The nurse may also have other recommendations of doctors who are more sensitive to the needs of asthmatic (or breathing impaired children).