PLEASE HELP

[bens_mom]

HI, my son (4 years old)  has been coughing for a very long time with no answers from his doctors.  His first xray in November of 2007 showed Atalectasis.  Docs sent him home saying he had Croup and that atalectasis would clear up.  Still coughing all these months, new pediatrician was diagnosed with Asthma in December. His asthma is also exercise induced. Saw pulmonologist and gave him Flow Vent and Albuterol inhalers , along with Decadron when the flare ups occurred and Croup.  Saw another new doctor because son was not getting better.  Same peds office new doctor but was really ill...lots of phlegm etc, she gave him a Zpak + nebulizer with Albuterol solution.  We did that nothing changed.  Sent him for second xray, which showed atalectasis and pneumonia altho the report didnt say any pneumonia, just atalectasis.  Treated him with 10 days Augmentin and Pedia Pred.  Cough cleared up, No sickness either.  6 days after antibiotics , breathing tx's and pedia pred finished, cough returns with fever.  Had chest CT and doc says Atalectasis caused by Asthma.  (I dont have this report in hand but will have exact report then).  Could this be RMLS?  Oh also this doctor while she was treating my son with this last treatement also thinks my son has PRADER WILLI syndrome.  My son is 87lbs and 4 feet tall...but he is only 4 years old.  He was born a preemie by c-section.  He was 36 weeks when he was born.  Anyway I asked what that was and she told me to Google it that her partner came up with it.  I am dealing with not so very good health care where I live and am probably going to head to Seattle for the Childrens' hospital there if I can find a decent pulmonologist.  I am N. West Montana.  I do however also have family in Chicago and can travel there as well if anyone knows of a children's pulmonologist there.  My issues are I am not getting anything in concrete here. I am getting partial diagnosis of asthma,  If my child has asthma, why wasnt he returned to the original meds of Flow Vent medications after the  pneumonia cleared?  He was taking Flow Vent 2 x a day and Albuterol inhaler 4x a day during a flare up. The kicker in all this is it all started in July of 2007 after a bout of Croup.  He recovered from that but after that every time he got a cold he would cough till he vomited.  And in November he was never able to recover from it.  He literally coughed from November till March.  Everytime the coughs would get bad is when he would vomit.  He actually figured out a way to cough without it hurting him so much.  He was given Tylenol w/codeine to stop the spasming on several occasions.  I am so frustrated.  I am in the process of searching for a pulmonologist.  IF anyone can shed any kind of light on this subject I would be so grateful.  I feel I have been shuffled around with no one really knowing what is going on with my son and I hope that we dont have any kind of permanent damage being mis diagnosed with any of this.  If anyone would like further info because you might have an answer for me please email me at ***@****.  PLEASE HELP THIS FRUSTRATED MOM IN GETTING SOME ANSWERS.

[matty_boston]

I have no idea what he has, but what it sounds like is that you are not getting the proper care. If it were my son, I  would definately take him to a better treatment facility. You mentioned a Children's Hospital in Seattle. Don't know much about this place but it must be better than what you are getting.

Good Luck!

Matty