Wheezing 5 Month old...still

I read your post and immediately thought reflux/aspiration which in turn causes the wheezing. The arching and grunting is definately a sign of reflux. Sometimes refluxing can go into the lungs (aspiration) and the contents of the whatever he's refluxing causes irration in the lungs thus the wheezing. If you correct the refluxing and in simple cases all it takes is medication then the wheezing goes away as well. I'm a pediatric healthcare provider and this is a common problem. Tell your doctor you suspect reflux and go from there. Good luck. : ) And in the mean time, you may want to elevate the head of his crib too.

I honestly wonder if your house isn't too dry. That is usually what happens in the Winter with us.

If you stand in the bathroom with the hottest water running and the shower head on the finest mist possible, until the room is full of steam does he get better for a while?

That would tell me it is the lack of moisture. If he gets worse then I don't know what I would do. The extra moisture done like this several times throughout the day, even during the night, really helps up.

We have a nebulizer for each child and use sterile water in it sometimes. You can buy it at any pharmacy without a prescription. It is in pink vials and is just used for mixing meds. It is not a medication. Sometimes the pharmacist who told me it was a non-prescription forgets and tells me I need one but then I remind her I put it in the nebulizer. This really helps more than Xophenex sometimes.

How long has he been wheezing now? From what I know, yes recurrent wheezing with simple colds is be sign of early asthma. If your child's wheezing is not getting better even with neb treatments, you need to talk to his doctor again Maybe even get a second opinion.

Kids with early childhood asthma do outgrow it. And the treatment for asthma(I was told) is the same as what you have been doing - neb treatments. I hope your baby does NOT have asthma ... but in case he does there is definitely hope that he will outgrow it and it wont be a lifelong ailment.

My son is at high risk for wheezing (after an RSV infection). Totally understand your concern. Your son is very young to take this lightly. Trust what your doctor says and if you don't think you trust your doctor enough, take a second opinion. The answers you receive on these forums are from our experiences with our children or what we have heard or know - only your doctor knows whats going on with your child.

Aside from him being sick and mostly likely very uncomfortable, is he hungry?
Has Gas?
Teething?
Because, waking/arching the back like that/being upset is often times gas or hunger.
At 6 months will be a growth spurt as well.
Babies need to be nursed on demand or given their bottle. They cannot go all night without feeding.

Now about his wheezing:
I have Asthma.
I wheeze
It often means I have a hard time breathing. So then I take my inhaler.
Mucus can or will not be present with wheezing.
Asthma is a constriction or inflammation of the airways/bronchial tubes etc. The inhalers or nebulizer, works to open up the airways so breathing can return to normal and so that the body can be oxygenated properly etc.

Look at your son while he is wheezing. IS he having a hard time breathing? Is his skin or fingernails blue? If so this would indicate acute condition and you have to take him to the ER pronto.

Now, what I would do it take him for a 2nd opinion.
Because who knows if your baby has Asthma or this is just a really bad illness which has hit his lungs.
How long, has your baby, been sick?????
3 days? 1week? 1 month?

I would, get a 2nd opinion.

Hi, I know this may not be what you want to hear, but in answer to your question; yes. My daughter started wheezing at about the same age and she is asthmatic. Another thing you may want to watch for that is a sign of Asthma is exema (sorry I am not sure of the spelling) it consists of dry rough patches on the skin. In either case, you said you have the nebulizer and other breathing meds so I (as a mom) would suggest just keeping a close eye on him and Keep in close contact with your doctor.
My verry best to you and your family.
God Bless,
A.

Long lasting cold/coughs can be a sign of asthma and also allergies. I have 4 kids that have to use nebulizer treatments & 5 that have allergies. The 18 mo old - we had issues with colds lasting 14-21 days all last winter... that is till I finally got the doctor to listen and notice his siblings issues when he was about a year old, now with treatments & allergy meds we are able to control the colds better and he kicks them in about 5-7 days.

Believe me it is hard to watch your babies when they are struggling & to hear them go through it. Keep letting the doctors know what is going on Also, keep a log of when he is sick, what is going on (cough, runny nose, trouble sleeping, low energy, ect.) and if he changes to much - mainly seems to have no or really little energy... call the doctor and if you can't get in take him to the ER. Believe me it is alway better to be safe when it come to your kids - I took one of my daughter to the hospital once because she just didn't seem like herself, just laying around & her o2 level was 89... she spent 3 days in the hospital. My oldest daughter, I took because she wouldn't let me put her down without crying like no tomorrow... she spent nearly a week in the hospital trying to get her o2 levels right. Sorry but I would rather them send me home telling me nothing is wrong, then to wait and find out I should have gotten them treatment earlier.

I hope your baby get to feeling better soon & that you can caught up on your rest!