Meds for Preventing Asthma Attacks

I was just going to say the same as the others, he needs to be on a preventive inhaler as well. My son is on Advair for the preventive and it is working wonderfully! We've hardly had to use the albuterol since he's been on it. He is also on singulair as well. Hope you get something that helps him! Good Luck!

Hi, T.
My entire family (including me) has asthma, so this is something I know quite a bit about. This first thing you need to do for your son is have him allergy tested. Many people who have never had allergies before have them now because of all the weird weather. Most severe asthma attacks are caused by allergies. The second thing I would tell you to do is get him to an allergy/asthma doctor. Over 90% of regular physicians know absolutely NOTHING about asthma. One of the very best doctors arouns in Thom Rosenberg in Wichits. He is an allergy/asthma specialist with a background in pediatrics. Whatever you do, please don't rely on a pediatrician to treat your son's asthma. We learned this lesson the hard way. If you can determine what is causing the severe attacks (most likely allergies) then it will be very easy to control.

S.

I have several friends with children that suffered greatly with Asthma. Their children were soooo sick, until they switched their home over to safer products that were toxin free. I work with a company that helps do that - feel free to email me, I can give you more info directly about it! :) ____@____.com

One of my friends was told not to expect to see her son's next birthday, that's how bad his asthma was. Now, he is off all his meds. Obviously, it worked! :)

I'd ask your ped about Singulair. My son is only 4 but has had asthmatic reactions due to allergies. We were having to use the albuterol treatments sometimes 3 times a day when his wheezing got bad. Since he's been on Singular (once a day - chewable), we've used albuterol maybe 3 or 4 times total. He's been on it since November of 2006.

http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/aug2007/nhbli-29.htm

I want to add this website for you from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute with updated (2007) guidelines. Follow through their links to more information on the stepwise approach to treating asthma. They have now broken it down by age groups. The most comprehensive information about treatment guidelines you will find, plus it's what physicians are supposed to follow.
ICS = Inhaled Cortico Steroids
SABA = Short - Acting Beta Agonists
Leukotriene Receptor Antagonists = Singulair

Hi T.,

The doctor who let your son go this long with asthma and only a rescue inhaler (the albuterol) needs to be dropped because he/she is not in sync with how to properly treat asthma. Period. Good for you recognizing the need to prevent! Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways and needs to be treated with a maintenance med (this can be Singulair or a long-acting inhaled steroid...do not use Serevent long-term, it just masks the systems as it is a long-acting broncodilator and one of the components in Advair) that treats the root of the inflammation. The rescue med (short-acting albuterol) is what you have now and by using it more than twice a day, twice a week, twice a month (the rule of two's)...you are leaving the inflammatory process to wreck havoc on the airways potentially causing scar tissue. If he is having EIA (exercise induced asthma) he definitely needs to take something before he exercises. The problem with that and kids is they don't always know when they're going to take off running, romping, and exercising. A weekend athlete adult might get by with a med like that, but for a kid/teen...a daily maintenance med is best. Singulair is a preferred drug to start with since it is not a steroid, it's taken orally once a day, and carries no stigma for other kids to see your son carrying an inhaler to suck on a couple of times a day. Plus, with inhalers...there's the technique issue...if they don't take it properly, it's wasted medication. That being said...long-acting steroids have long been the gold standard because when taken, and when taken correctly, they work. In the beginning a competent physician may prescribe several meds to get your son's symptoms under control. Please contact me if you have further questions. My career was educating physicians and nurses on asthma and asthma meds (along with some other meds). Call around and find out the best doctor in your area for asthma. Get word of mouth...ask a pharmacist if you don't know anyone else to ask.

Hi T.,
Advair is a daily medication that I use for my asthma and it helps a lot. Ask your peciatrician about it when you go to your appointment. Poor guy, hope he gets some relief.
Take Care,
N.

My middle boy and I take Singulair everynight to control our asthma. I took Asthmacort and Serevent when I was pregnant with him so his lungs are a little more sensitive that most. We've had some good results with Advair but one of the components is known to cause heart problems

The truth is one sever asthma attack in the last year isn't enough to put him on maintenance medications. You need to sit down with him and see if he's using his albuterol at any other time. If it's more than once a week then he needs some day to day maintenance.

My son is 3 and has taken flovent twice a day to help prevent attacks. It really has worked for him and we are looking to see if we can discontinue it after winter. My son is also on Singular that helps with his allergies and asthma. Good luck!

Hi T.~

Sorry to hear about your son's asthma problem going on. A lot of kids do suffer with asthma unfortunately so your son is not the only one. There are some different things that you can do to help prevent this and a lot is just a simple change most people do not even think of doing. I would love to share more info. with you on what you can do about this to help prevent the asthma problems. I would love to tell you all about what you can do that has helped many other people out there like your son. Please send me an email ____@____.com so I can share all of the details with you that can make a difference for your son. I look forward to talking more with you soon and helping you.

Hi! I saw that you've already been to the doctor, but I just wanted to share my experience. I have allergy induced asthma. It has taken me years to figure out what would trigger my asthma problems! Different places/towns/etc have different allergens and so I tend to have more problems in some places than others. If I go to visit my inlaws I almost always have asthma issues, while at home I don't have near as many problems. Several years ago we lived in Ponca City, OK. The refinery there really bothered me and I was on both Singulair and Advair. Advair is a controller inhaler, not a rescue inhaler like the albuterol. And Singulair helped with allergies, as well as asthma. I hope you get it figured out, I know that its miserable! Good luck!!

Hi T.,

I realize your request is a little old. I'm new here, and I felt I needed to share with you. My daughter has asthma and allergies too.

I agree with the moms who told you about having your son tested for allergies. Seems like they go hand-in-hand.
Before we had my daughter tested for the two, she would clear her throat and cough, a lot. I would just treat her with some OTC meds. It wasn't until a doctor heard her cough, that they took it seriously. We were referred to a allergy/asthma specialist. We found out she was only breathing at about 50% capacity... and has a pretty moderately allergy to cats, and seasonal outdoors things.

Since we got her on her meds, rarely does she have episodes.
She's taking Pulmicort, (an inhaler), Nasacort, (nasal spray), and a generic form of Benadryl. She was on a Rx before the Benadryl, but she woke up every morning and her face, eyes and lips were swollen. She has her Albuterol rescue inhaler and her nebulizer and a good ol steroid stand-by in case things get real bad. Oh, did I mention she's also taking allergy shots? Right now she's at every two weeks. She's been taking them for just over two years. She got about another three to four years to go.

Good luck with your son. Asthma sure does keep you on your toes! If you have any questions, let me know! ls

I see you already got some preventative meds, but I wanted to send you a message anyways. My little brother had asthma all of his life. It wasn't until we were adults that we changed our homes over to using non-toxic products. He completely lost his asthma. I lost my sinus infections and strep throat. I have had other family members and friends have the same results. I buy from a specific company that makes about everything you need in your home everyday, health, hygiene, cleaning, otc meds, etc. I think you could benefit by changing your home, and then finally not having to worry about buying medications at all. If you have questions, let me know, and I'd be glad to help.

You should've been given a 'preventive' inhaler as well as a 'rescue' inhaler, that's what the albuterol is for. I have had asthma for 23 years so if you have any other questions feel free to message me.

Hi T.,
My little sister and I both have asthma. We take Advair once a day and it helps to prevent attacks or wheezing. I don't have really bad asthma but when I do take Advair I find that I don't have really any symptoms versus when I don't. You might want to check that out. Hope this helps!