Repeated Bronchiolitis and Asthma

[kahle]

My daughter who is 2 and 1/2 was diagnosed with bronchiolitis several times last winter. (4 or 5 times)  She also had pnuemonia (pneumonia) in January of 2005.  She was put on Albuterol breathing treatments each time and antibiotics.  Already this year, she has been diagnosed with bronchiolitis and had been on the breathing treatments.  She doesn't seem to have a problem in the summer ( May through Sept.), but the rest of the year is a constant struggle.  Is is possible for her to have asthma, but for it not be prevelant in the summer months, or is she just prone to lung problems during the cold and flu season?  Should she be on a daily preventative breathing treatment?  What can I do to help her?  She is scheduled to get her flu shot once she is well enough to receive it, but is there more I can do?  Is there something I should be discussing further with her pediatrician?  She can't go wheezing all winter again this year, like last and the antibiotics aren't good for her either.  We need help.

[National Jewish]

It is more than likely that your daughter does not get bouts of bronchiolitis, but has episodes of asthma triggered by viral infections.  In children where the trigger for the attack is a virus, the summers are usually fine and the fall and winters are the problem.

Yes, there is a lot you can do to prevent these attacks instead of simply treating them and worrying if she is going to get pneumonia.  I would talk to your daughter’s doctor about this.  If he/she is uncomfortable with this, you might suggest seeing a pediatric pulmonologist.  There are preventative medications, some more effective than others.  Talk about these options with your daughter’s doctor.

[nebi]

my daughter also suffers from repeated bouts of bronchitis in the winter, although she does sometimes have bronchitis in the summer.  The bronchitis agravates her asthma.  She also uses a nebulizer for these times but also takes daily meds. for preventative.  Right now she is on singular (which helps with her allergies as well) and foradil, and pulmicort inhaler.  My daughter is 14 years old and was diagnoise when she was 2.  You might want to take your daughter to a pulmonary Doc.  Because she is so young they might subscribe  different preventatives. Over the years they have change my daughters asthma meds and i don't remember what she was on at your daughters age.  I do know that the pulmonary doctor has been more agressive and helped my daughter more than her family doctor.  Good luck, I hope it works out for you and your daughter

[nebi]

this is a good website for asthma http://www.njc.org/ when you get to their home page type in interactive asthma diary. you'll come to a page that has an option to keep a daily diary of symptoms, peak flow readings,etc. record your information every day and print it and bring it to the doctors when you go.    it's great.

[tmag]

Go see a pulmonologist,don't take no for a answer your daughter could have a immune disorder or some problem that is masked short term by antibiotics only to repeat again. Run every test they can think of, if they can't figure it out move on to the next hospital. It is frustrating and time consuming but way to important not to.