my mother has been told she has sever ashma. they have sent her home with hospice saying there is no more we can so. i find it so hard to believe that ashma is killing her. she has been on so many meds nothing works.pls help email me at menanaok9@yahoo.com my name is michelle
i have a question that i cant find an answer to. i have a 9 yr old son who wheezes and coughs at night and he sleeps right through it. he has always slept hard, since birth, which happened to be four weeks premature. it terrifies me that he could sleep through a severe attack. if he gets too hot, or when he runs and plays, he coughs..a barking cough, sometimes uncontrollably(even at night when he gets too warm and sweats)..but thankfully that's not very often at all. its terrible if he gets a real cold..the cough will last weeks and scare whomever hears him. it pains me that he has to suffer through this at all, but i dont let him see that. as any concerned parent would, i've taught him to know the symptoms, to self administer, and how to breath if he cant find his inhaler (which never leaves his pocket in fall and spring). even with all this prep, i cant help feeling a little helpless. is there more one can do? HOW do i protect him while he's sleeping???
I actually have two daughers who do the same thing, aged 3 and 8. They can cough and moan in their sleep, even to the point they appear to be in pretty severe respiratory distress, and never wake up fully. It pains me to see them when they are like this, just like it does for you.
It's normal for kids to be like this. They produce certian chemicals (like melatonin) more so than adults, or simply they don't understand what's going on enough to act. I think the reason they make these noises is sort of like a built in "natural' alarm system for us to know our child is in distress and we need to do something.
So what can you do. You'll have to work with your childs pediatrician. To treat immediate symptoms Albuterol or Xopenex are good options, and this medicine comes in the form of either an inhaler (for older kids) or a breathing treatment (for younger kids). I usually give both my kid a breathing treatment and it usually works quite well. For my little one, I usually blow it by her face while she's sleeping.
Option #2: Asthma can be prevented. My younger daughter usually has asthma trouble when she's exposed to colds and viruses, or when she's out in the cold. It's an often enough problem that her doctor has prescribed Pulmicort breathing treatmnets twice a day. By keeping just a little bit of steroid in her system it helps keep the inflamation down in her air passages. This way, when she's exposed to cold and viruses, her asthma doesn't act up -- or at least not as bad.
Usually, if we forget to give her the pulmicort for a day or two, her asthma seems to act up. That actually happened last night when I had to wake up to give her a treatment -- she was coughing. After the treatmetn she sleft great. So for my daughter it seems the pulmicort must be given daily. My older daughter only needs the albuterol. So, as with any child with asthma, finding what works best is a matter of trial and error.
Bottom line, you'll want to work with your child's doctor to find what works best to prevent and treat your child's asthma. This is just some information based on my own personal experience. I hope this helps. Rick.
Featuring Content From:
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2013 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
7 Foods to Avoid if You Have Asthma 
7 Natural Ways to Fight Allergies 
16 Interesting Asthma Facts You Should Know 
9 Interesting Allergy and Asthma Facts 
First it was Serevent and then came Advair! Miracles I say, BUT....... I cannot afford my co-pay and don't qualify for any programs. I am 70 yrs young (another miracle) and a guinea pig beginning age 9 for all of this modern medicine. I love the breathing part, but one side affect that I hate with Advair is my voice goes away!! It doesn't seem to matter if I rinse and/or gargle.
If Advair causes problems for you, perhap you can try Symbicort or Dulera. It may be something to consider.
don't work the same!!!! AND co-pays are still issues when they are not generic! I use Advair only when I am in the worst trouble season and need to. thank you
You may also want to try other steroids, such as Qvar or azmacort. These medicines have been a while longer and are usually less expensive.