Trust Your Gut When Your Kids Have Asthma

 

As a mom to three adult kids with asthma, the one piece of advice I would give other moms is to trust your gut. 

If you think something is wrong with your child, something probably is. 

I know my child better than any doctor does. They are brilliant when it comes to their medical knowledge about asthma, but my child may not fit a text book explanation. 

Two kids in the hospital at the same time 

There were numerous times I would take one of my kids to the pediatrician because they were sick and their cough sounded TERRIBLE! If you have kids with asthma, you know what I'm talking about. 

One time, Middle Son was very sick. He was taking his daily, controller (anti-inflammatory) inhaler twice a day, was taking oral steroids, and he was still getting worse. 

I had taken him to the pediatrician to listen to my son's lungs. Pediatrician said it was "just a virus" and we had to let it take it's course. 

I knew something else was going on. I had a hunch my son had pneumonia, but the pediatrician said no. Several hours later, my son was still getting worse, so I took him to the ER. 

Sure enough, he had pneumonia and was admitted to the pediatric ward. This was late at night, and the pediatrician on call was heavily pregnant and I felt bad she was losing sleep to see my son. She had her chin in her hand and was studying my son. 

I asked her what she was debating, and she said if he needed IV steroids and oxygen. I told her that's why we were there! 

This was his 5th hospitalization and I have done everything I can at home, including oral steroids, breathing treatments, and his daily controller inhaler. It's time for the professionals to take over. 

That snapped her out of it and she ordered oxygen and IV steroids. 

Back home to check on my daughter  

My husband stayed in the hospital, and I drove home to check on my daughter. My neighbor was watching my kids so I took over monitoring my daughter's breathing, skin color, and oxygen level. 

I stayed up all night and took her to the pediatrician first thing in the morning. I told her my son was admitted last night, and I was concerned my daughter also had pneumonia. The pediatrician said she wasn't concerned and if I was still worried, I could bring my daughter back the next day. 

I told her my daughter wouldn't need to come back the next day, because she would be admitted to the hospital that night. Both the pediatrician and I were shocked that I said that. Not sure where it came from? 

Another late night ER trip 

I watched my daughter all day, and she was not getting better. She was getting worse. 

Once I noticed my daughter's oxygen level began to drop, her skin color was pale, and her lips were turning a bluish color, I made a mad dash for the ER. 

It's a fine line, because you have to be just sick enough to be admitted and not turned away. I knew we were at the point that she needed to be admitted. 

As I burst through the ER doors, the nurse took us back to triage. I breathlessly told the ER doctor that my son was admitted last night with pneumonia and my daughter was about a day behind in the illness progression and needed to be admitted. 

She quickly listened to my daughter's lungs and told my young daughter that she was going upstairs to be with her brother. 

Then I called my husband on the pediatric ward and asked him if the nurses could move our son to a double room and they could be together. Sigh.

The nurses did, and we spent 3 days in the hospital with two of our kids. 

Trust your gut 

Asthma can be tricky to treat because there are so many different types of asthma. There isn't one size fits all.

If you just can't shake the feeling that something is wrong with your child with asthma, call your doctor. Or you may need to do what I did and see your doctor, and then go to the ER the same night. It's up to you. 

Every time I have taken one of my kids to the ER for asthma, they were admitted. I was never sent home. I just knew they needed more medical help than what I was able to give them. 

If you have a child with asthma, trust your gut. Maybe they're okay and can't wait to see the pediatrician in the morning, or maybe you need to go to the ER. 

Nemour Children's Hospital has a helpful article titled, "When to Go to the ER if Your Child has Asthma" 

Hugs, 

Andrea