Staying Well

Have you tried a humidifier? Also try using sanitizer a lot since you work with sick kids you might be a carrier for some virusis. you might want to get some lysol and spray everything she comes in contact with very often. Hope this helps. T. P

D.,

You didn't mention if your daughter is on any medication for her allergies. My older son had terrible allergies and gets asthma every once in awhile that begins with a cough. Our pediatrician has put him on Advair which is a preventative medication for the asthma. He also uses Nasocort nasal spray which has been a God send. His nose was constantly a mess until we started using Nasocort. He also has an albuterol inhaler that he uses as needed. I hate that he needs all this medicine, but it would be worse to have the cough turn into pneumonia or worse. You may need another opinion or take your daughter to an ashtma and allergy doctor. If you live in Charlotte, NC, I can recommend one.

remove the carpet from her bedroom if she has any. remove stuffed animals and any allergens. use a humidifier. And look to the future. My daughter had asthma when she was little but she outgrew it! Good luck!

I had almost the same experience when my son was 2, as a last ditch effort to keep him well, I started using chemical free cleaners and laundry stuff in my house. This switch not only stopped the asthma cough every time he got a little cold, it also stopped his eczema breakouts too. I'm not a sales person or anything but it definately worked for my family. I use Melaleuca products www.melaleuca.com there are others out there but I order these online and all in one place, it's just simpler for me. I am also a full time student and work full time. I don't know how you do it single, I couldn't make it work without my hubby. Good luck with everything.

Hello,
I know how you feel I am a single mother working full time and my son has asthma and allergies. His case is not that severe but here is what I have done. First talk to the school nurse or who ever they have there at the school. You can send the neb to school with her or they may have on there and you can just send the solution. Second have you tried using the Albuterol inhaler (the pump) I know that she may be too young to use it correctly alone but with a spacer she could do it. 1 neb treatment is equal to about 6-8 puffs over 20 minutes. Third talk to her doctor about starting on allergy medication. It may be allergies not a virus that is the trigger. Singulair and claritin work very well together and you can even add Flonase to the mix needed. Get the allergy reducing pillow case, allergen redcing Febreeze and an air purifier for her bed room. Avoid the humidfier for the room (humidity encourage mold growth) and just use the nasal saline. Also discuss an oral or inhaled steriod to help shorted reactions. She may only need to use it during cold and flu or allergy season. And the last thing I know seem pretty far fetched but I noticed that when my started coughing more around meals and at night that did not respond right away to the albuterol I gave him some tums to chew. Reflux can also cause a cough the gets a little better with albuterol but not quickly. But I understand not being able to stay home with a child with asthma. But if you work with the school and have you doctor write detail instruction on what they should do it should work out. But I had the problem with the note saying give 2 puff every 4 hours or as needed for cough. Well my son started coughing again within 2-3 hours during an attack and they called me at work. The clerk was like he look bad and looks like her needs his medication so I had to leave work and go to the school to give him 2 more puffs. The note has to read give 2-4 puff every four hour or sooner as needed. Also have your doctor fill out and asthma action plan that you can share with the school or daycare. As you can see I have been though this and I have worked on this and I do not want you to go through what I have gone though. My son't asthma doesn't flare up frequently but when it does it is bad for about 7-10 days. If you have any question you can email me at ____@____.com can figure this out together.
K.

I really feel for you. I know you have to be totally stressed. It sounds like to me you might want to check with another docter. Maybe one that specializes in that field and also maybe ask the Dr. office for support groups concerning those problems and they maybe can give you some ideas about what you can do. Wish I could say more but really my first thing to do would be to get another doctor especially one that may even have just a little more sympathy!

Your kid's doctor laughed at your concerns. Find another doctor. A specialist perhaps. I have asthma myself. It was never under control until I started seeing a pulmonary specialist. The one I am seeing now is very dedicated to his profession. I can give you a referral if you like but I am not sure if he sees children. Now, my 9 year old has asthma and bronchiolitis. Her pediatrician (who knows my Dr.) has done very good at keeping her well. Her condition isn't as serious as mine, so I haven't sought a specialist for her. She has had her flu shot, has an inhaler handy, and a nebulizer when she needs it, and other meds when her coughing spells (bronchiolitis)kick in. We use alot of hand sanitizer if she can't get to soap and water. And she takes a daily vitamin. She has never missed a day of school due to asthma, like I did. I wish you luck in keeping your daughter well. Just let me know if you'd like those referrals.

Hello D.,

I certainly feel for you! There is nothing so distressing as having a child that is sick, a doctor who laughs at you, and having to to be single Mom and working too.

Has anything changed in the past year...new home, new daycare, new pet, different heat source, anything that might effect the air that you breathe in your home or where she stays?

Please permit me to give you and some of the other Moms a different point of view. Our children are sick because of what they breathe. The next time a ray of sun is shining through the window look at it from the side. Do you see dust bunnies? That is what you can see with the eye. Let me say here, it will be totally impossible to prevent any dust, and here is why. We shed skin cells daily, millions of them. We have pets and pet dander. Clothes, carpets, beddings, furniture, allergens from plants and trees, mold spores and so much more that we can't see, get caught in the dust. And little creatures that we can't see called dustmites that lives in our carpets, beddings, pillows... feast on our skin cells and all the other junk, producing fecal matter is what causes lots of problems for our children's lungs, and immune systems.

All we really have to offer for help is medication, and that never cures the problem only helps with the symptoms. I'm very thankful for our doctors, scientists, vaccines and medications that have saved many lifes and more to come.

There is a machine out there called Fresh Air by EcoQuest, and yes I'm a distributor but I'm honestly not trying to sell you anything. There is a book written Fresh Air For Life by Dr. Allan Somersall that explains what our problems are associated with Indoor Air Quality. The machines drop dust by causing the dust to drop out of your breathing space, make your home smell thunderstorm fresh, and kills 99.9% of bacterias and viruses on surfaces according to University Kansas and Cincinatti peer reviewed studies.

I can say this, at Home Shows, I've had children that have come up to me and Thanked Us because their parents have purchased a machine and it has helped them.

There are no gaurantees that it would help with any of your problems, it is not a medical devise, but the company allows us to offer a free, no risk, no obligation in home trial to see if you experience any benefits. All I ask for is a testamonial. I'm trying to build a portfolio so that I can get more of the schools, and childcare facilities to put this equipment in their locations. Following is a website and news clip where you can get more info..., www.freshairliving.com/visionaires...Spam protected, the passcode is "guest", and http://www.whptv.com//mediacenter/default.aspx?videoId=94941

D., I hope you little girl gets relief soon! My grandson went to the hospital 4 times between the ages of 4 months & 8 months with pnuemonia and we found out it was...mold. So if I've said anything today that has been helpful, that is my prayer for all of us!!

Sincerely, D. H.

Our three yr old has allergies real bad then this past Oct all through Nov he kept getting sick. I had my Ped. recommend an Ear, Nose &Throat Dr. Come to find out he had enlarged adenoids, which were blocking the flow of his sinuses. Since having it removed he has been sick once, which they said was from that area still being swollen. It wouldn't hurt to have all your daughters "plumbing" checked out with an ENT Dr. Also, could your Ped. recommend any vitamins for your daughter to help build her immunity? I wish you the best, it's so hard to see your children sick and so discouraging to happen over and over. We'll say a prayer for her health!!

My daughter had the same trouble when she was around the same age. They put her on singulair, QVAR, and breathing treatments, which it sounds like your daughter is already doing. My daughter eventually grew out of it. But I will tell you a couple of years back, when she was on all that medication, I started her on these vitamins that my best friend's husband gave us. He is a pharmacist and swears by these vitamins!! They are called Super Gram 111. The Real Vitamin C by Alacer Corp. Since our whole family has started on these, we have all been well and my daughter has not had ONE breathing treatment nor needed one!!! Coincidence or not, we believe they have boosted our immune system. I hope this helps!!

Hey Hon - Sounds like my 2-year old. Ask your doctor about Pulmacort; also you might try a daily dose of an allergy prevention med, like Singulair. This is so tough on us mommies, but if she does not have a fever, she will most likely get over it. We also use a prescription cough syrup called Donatussin. If the cough is too bad, we use Tussionex with breathing treatments every 4-6 hours. Our toddler bounces back strong and symtom free every time...until the next bout. I, like you cannot isolate her, nor can I afford to keep her out of daycare all the time. Best of luck and keep in touch. Thank all that is good, spring time and warm weather are just around the bend!!:-) M.

I also work in childcare and in school for early childhood education. (Reynolds) My son has severe asthma. He is 5 years old. Has your daughter been given an inhaler? Did the doctor give you Pulmicort or Albuterol? You are welcome to email me at ____@____.com

Hello my name is K. and I have a 2 1/2 year old son and a almost 5 year old girl. I understand how frustrating it is when your child gets sick all the time. My son was always sick until I started him on vitamins from a company called Arbonne. They have made such a huge difference in his health. Maybe your daughter just needs a little extra help in the nutrition department like mine did. If you want to know more just let me know.