Childhood asthma questions... About This Page:

[graygables]

Does anyone know if asthma can be "brought on" by a confirmed case of pertussis (whooping cough)? Also, can asthma be triggered by emotional stress?

Sarah (8yo) had pertussis, even though she was fully vaccinated a few years ago, scared the bejeezers out of me. Since then, every time she gets a cold or bug, the cough hangs on forever. She's also an upchucker when she coughs so we are all miserable. I've also noticed that she seems to have shortness of breath when she gets worried about something (she's Asperger's and has *lots* of worries: tornadoes, inclement weather of any kind, flying, meeting new people, etc). She was having an "episode" every Sunday morning and we finally figured out she strongly disliked her Sunday School teacher and a rowdy (obnoxious) classmate. When we quit going, the Sunday AM episodes stopped.

I was watching her breathe after she dozed off on the couch yesterday (she's been on codeine, robitussin. and dimetapp for a week now, along with an antibiotic) and she just seemed to really be laboring to breathe. She coughs all night long, there is no relief from it and it's been going on for 10 days now.

I'm taking her to the pediatrician tomorrow, but this doc has to be led by the hand at times, so I don't want to suggest something that is going to cause a bunch of unnecessary tests. Anyone have any experience with childhood asthma? Does this sound like it might fit the profile for me to mention tomorrow?

Thanks for any advice!

[CRCrazy]

Yep - it does! Viruses can trigger asthma attacks as well! I would definitely have it checked out.

[Happymommy]

It does sound like asthma. Both my sons have asthma (4yo, and 19mths old). If they are not sick, they are absolutely fine. Respiratory Colds/ Viruses are (so far) the only things that trigger their asthma symptoms. Whenever they have colds, I make sure I keep lifting their shirts (to see their bellies), checking their necks (to see if they are sucking in), and checking their nostrils (to see if they are flaring)-- if they are having trouble in any of those areas, I have to give them albuterol. They also have maintenance medication that they get via inhaler or nebulizer. I would definitely describe the labored breathing to your doctor, and if he doesn't do anything, take her to an asthma/allergy specialist. My asthma specialist gets so upset because he says, that not enough pediatricians refer children (who need him) to him.

[MickeyMAC]

My daughter Rebekah has had asthma since she was 20 months old. When she was younger, before she could tell me an attack was coming, I would watch her breathe...lift her shirt to see her belly and watch her neck to see if it was sinking. When she was sick it would always be worse. It still is today...she has a cold and it's far worse because of the asthma. We use an inhaler, she has a breathing machine and she been on a lot of cortisone (sp) rounds. We use to spend days in the hospital...she been in PICU more than I want to count then we were put on an experimental drug from the National Jewish Hospital in Denver and it began to help. The breathing machine with the medicines and the cortisone rounds have been the things that work. She has also learned her triggers and she knows the first symtoms which gives her time to get the machine going. Take her to the doctor...he should be able to hear the wheezing sounds and he should know the signs. I feel sorry for your daughter I too had whopping cough and to this day any cough I get sounds horrible and I begin upchucking with the cough....they doctors say it's something that I will always have. Keep us posted as to what you find out.

[wdwlovers]

I'd definately mention it Dawn! Sending some dust her way!!

[Teresa]

My 2 youngest have asthma. Both not bad enough for maintenance meds, but they do get worse with a cold, if they are upset, or if they are worried.

Does the cough sound like a bark? I can tell if the asthma is acting up, because THAT cough sounds almost like a seal's bark.