Inhaler to get rid of persistent cough?

[LROM]

DD has had a run of colds/stomach virus lately, but one symptom that persists even though otherwise she seems fine is her persistent cough.

It does sound like she's coughing stuff up, but she still doesn't know how/understand spitting it out so she swallows it. Coughing is only bad at night and naptimes when she's lying down.

DH took her to ped today and they recommended a week of using an asthma inhaler. I wasn't there so didn't get to ask my million questions, but I'm kinda mainly wondering if it would just be better to try to wait out the cough, or are inhalers not that bad?

Any wise mamas here have thoughts on the pros/cons of an inhaler? Are some meds more scary than others?

Thanks!

[JessieBird]

We're going through the exact same decision! DS hasn't had a stomach bug but has had what I would consider a mild cold with cough on and off for about a month. Everyone (nurse at walk in clinic, daycare teachers, more experienced parents) have told me that it's nothing to worry about so I haven't. He's been in a great mood - eating and sleeping well and full of energy - it's just this little nagging cough, the sort that bothers mum more than child, you know? Then on Monday he had a very low fever and I decided enough is enough and we went to the doctor on Tuesday (fever had passed). Now I kind of wish I hadn't!! Our regular family doctor wasn't available so we had to see someone else. He right away said asthma along with an infection and that he needed both antibiotics and two inhalers to take several times a day for ten days then occassional use of the enhalers for ever after. WTF??? He had barely even looked at DS or listened to anything I had to say so I thought this was over reacting. I asked him a million questions but only got the infuriating, "if he were my son, I'd give them to him" answer so no use at all.

I agreed to the antibiotics and took the prescription for the inhalers but did not fill it. I can't remember what they are called but I know one is blue and one is orange. I want to get a second opionion from a friend who is a doctor so will be phoning the pharmacy to get the exact names and I can let you know. I've decided to see if the antibiotics (if I can get them into him) help at all before considering the inhalers.

The doctor did say that you cannot grow dependent on the inhalers (ie. they can't cause asthma) and there are no side effects. I'm curious to see what others have to say about that. That's great if true and if they will really help him to finally get over this cough but I want to be very cautious. DS is the type of kid who would find having a mask held over his face for several minutes several times a day very traumatic and I don't want to subject him to that.

[JessieBird]

I just wanted to add that I've told several colleagues at work and ALL have said that there kids were on inhalers constantly when young. Huh? I've never heard of that - I thought enhalers were only for severe cases of asthma and pneumonia. Maybe I'm just really out of the loop and they're as benign/common as tylenol now.

[LROM]

JessieBird you pretty much identified my concern: on the one hand your doc is saying they can't be addictive/harmful, but on the other you say you've got a lot of coworkers who said their kids were on them all the time when they were young.

My concern is that somehow using it now for this little thing may pre-dispose dd to needing them more later.

Im suprised at how little the doc you saw really looked at your son before diagnosing asthma! And you said he really didn't answer your questions other than to say he'd do it if it were his son? You are very wise to get a 2nd opinion!

I found out what they prescribed for dd is called Ventolin. Any other thoughts out there on this question (even if you haven't used ventolin in particular)?

[pbjmama]

I would find out what meds you were given, what they do and go for a second opinion. Did the doctor get an O2 saturation? Sometimes they are necessary but probably over prescribed like everything else. It would be difficult for me not to give it to my child...

[LROM]

I just talked to a nurse I like at my Ped's office - he said the cough might well go away without ventolin but if there's a wheeze at all (dd has a tiny slight wheeze) then the ventolin opens the airways in a way that will make it much easier for her body to get rid of the cough and wheeze.

He said if there's a wheeze at all, he'd recommend it. And he said it's not possible for the ventolin to make her more prone to coughs/wheezes/asthma.

I hope he's right!