Ok, so both my kids were sick last week, I took my daughter to the dr. (her normal dr. is on maternity leave) who said she had croup, she didnt get any better so I took her back 5 days latter and then said she had a sinus infection and wheezing. I took my son who they said he has croup too cuz his sister has it, well I took him back a week later (this past tuesday) and they said it isnt croup, and tested for RSV and broncilitis, the dr. just called me last night saying he did test positive for RSV, she did prescribe him an albuterol inhaler but there is nothing else to do, just wait it out until he gets better, and if he is having a hard time breathing bring him back...Is there anything else to do? What do you think, I have never seen this dr. before, we do have kaiser so throughout this whole thing my kids saw 2 different dr.s with 2 different diagnoses...any thoughts??
The doctor is correct. You will just need to let the RSV pass. Regular use of albuterol... and washing of hand for everyone in the house to prevent from spreading... If he has a hard time breathing you may want to ask the doctor if your child can use a nebulizer instead of an inhaler.
My son had it about that age. Just keep up on the albuterol, it should be every 4 hours around the clock. My son has a nebulizer which is easier to give. You should be using a cool mist humidifier in your childs room at night. If he has trouble breathing take him into the bathroom and close the door turn on the shower HOT and let it run so the steam fills up the bathroom. Stay in there for about 15 minutes. It should relieve some of the symptoms. I also have Kaiser and have a great pediatrician who we have followed to Lincoln. Her name is A. Gerstenberger.
I know this is scary for you- hang in there. My son had RSV when he was 1 year old and was hospitalized for 5 days. His treatment while in the hospital was oxygen, suctioning out his nose with a high powered automatic suction and albuterol breathing treatments. They did give him antibiotics also because he had 2 ear infections. The doctors said there'
s not much difference between the treatment at home for RSV and the treatment in the hospital for RSV, except for the oxygen and constant monitoring of vitals. The breathing treatments are what helped the most. Sometimes he coughed during the treatment, then seemed the wheeze and cough less for a while after.Good thing for you is it sounds like a mild case (if there is such a thing!) and you're on the right track for treatment. Just look for increased wheezing and coughing, fever and lethargy. These would be signs that he's getting worse, not better and may need an increase in breathing treatments. I hope things are better in your household soon!
If your son was a preemie or has ever been intubated, you need to be particularly vigilant about RSV (though they should have had him on the once a month RSV vaccine shots if he was a preemie). Otherwise, pretty much all kids get RSV in their first few years and experience it as a very bad cold. If your son's breathing does not improve, keep taking him to the doc. Disclaimer -- I'm pretty anti-Kaiser. Don't let the doctors discourage you from doing what you feel is right in your gut. If your son's breathing is getting better, then great. If not, take him back and demand that they monitor him more closely. Does taking him into a steamy bathroom for about 15 minutes help? With croup it would not, but it should with other cold-like illnesses, though I don't know about RSV specifically. Also, I'm surprised they gave you an inhaler instead of a nebulizer for such a young child. Is he able to use the inhaler? I'm assuming they gave him a spacer for it, but if not, be sure to get one. The spacer makes it so that your son doesn't have to time his breath in perfectly with the inhaler to get the albuterol. I hope your son feels better soon.
Don't be afraid to go back and ask for another opion on treatment. RSV is very serious. My son had it when he when about 10 months old and he ended up being hospitalized for three days on oxygen because our doctor did the same thing. Just watch for high fevers and lethargy. Hope this helps
