11-month-old Ig is a demon on Flovent. Man, I thought that kid was a bad sleeper before...on Flovent, he has learned how to scream. So now, when he wakes up at 3:00AM, he doesn't just cry....he shrieks for more than an hour.
He was tenacious before, now he's downright impossible when he gets his mind set on something. (For example, he started self-feeding on Thursday...now I'm not even "allowed" to feed him.)
Good thing he's still so snuggly and cute!!
And yes, I can bitch and moan about it til the cows come home, but ultimately, I'm happy the medication exists that can help my child BREATHE.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Monday, November 20, 2006
Oz is OK
The pediatric pulmonologist tells me I'm as good as an ER. When Oz was having a flare this morning -- so much coughing he couldn't even speak -- I started doing nebs every two hours. I alternated Xopenex and DuoNeb and called her office for backup.
By the time we got to her office at 2:30, he was hardly coughing anymore. By the time we left, he was singing in the car all the way home.
Still doing nebs every 2-3 hours today, and we'll reduce to every 3-4 tomorrow.
But first, we'll see how tonight goes.
BTW, did I mention I've barely seen my office in the last week? I've been working from home since Iggy got sick last Monday. Only *slightly* stir crazy. :-)
By the time we got to her office at 2:30, he was hardly coughing anymore. By the time we left, he was singing in the car all the way home.
Still doing nebs every 2-3 hours today, and we'll reduce to every 3-4 tomorrow.
But first, we'll see how tonight goes.
BTW, did I mention I've barely seen my office in the last week? I've been working from home since Iggy got sick last Monday. Only *slightly* stir crazy. :-)
Iggy's on Flovent
Forgot to mention this in the last post...but yes, my 11-month-old is now on Flovent 44. Not surprising considering:
And to my friend who was asking about an alternative to Pulmicort, ask your doctor about Flovent and QVar, which are both in metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) rather than administered via nebulizer. Much faster, easier, and child-friendlier.
- He was born in respiratory distress and spent his first 24 hours in the NICU
- He turned blue when he was about 4 months old (he was fine)
- He has had three illnesses involving serious coughs in the last 9 months, including the one last week
And to my friend who was asking about an alternative to Pulmicort, ask your doctor about Flovent and QVar, which are both in metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) rather than administered via nebulizer. Much faster, easier, and child-friendlier.
Giving thanks...for Flovent and Nebulizers
Thanksgiving's almost here, and - like last year - Oz has RSV again. At least I'm pretty sure it's RSV. We're leaving for the peds. pulmo. in 20 minutes, so I'll know for sure later.
So...yea. Once again, I'll be rushing home from my plate of side dishes (hi, lifelong veg) to administer nebulizer treatments every 3 hours around the clock.
But really, I am thankful. I'm thankful that after over four years of dealing with asthmatic babies, I finally feel like I know what I'm doing. I fearlessly administer Xopenex at the first sign of a cough, and add DuoNeb every 3 hours if things start going south. I no longer feel compelled to go to the ER every time someone's cough spirals out of control. I don't even need to see the PP *every* time one of the boys is sick.
Don't get me wrong -- I still go when we need to. I just don't PANIC anymore.
I'm also thankful that not one of my boys has required hospitalization since 2002. Let's hope I can be thankful for that again next year. :-)
...one final note: Apologies for the two month hiatus. So busy with work and three kids, and big B's Asperger's Syndrome has consumed a good deal of my maternal concern. There may be another blog in that one.
So...yea. Once again, I'll be rushing home from my plate of side dishes (hi, lifelong veg) to administer nebulizer treatments every 3 hours around the clock.
But really, I am thankful. I'm thankful that after over four years of dealing with asthmatic babies, I finally feel like I know what I'm doing. I fearlessly administer Xopenex at the first sign of a cough, and add DuoNeb every 3 hours if things start going south. I no longer feel compelled to go to the ER every time someone's cough spirals out of control. I don't even need to see the PP *every* time one of the boys is sick.
Don't get me wrong -- I still go when we need to. I just don't PANIC anymore.
I'm also thankful that not one of my boys has required hospitalization since 2002. Let's hope I can be thankful for that again next year. :-)
...one final note: Apologies for the two month hiatus. So busy with work and three kids, and big B's Asperger's Syndrome has consumed a good deal of my maternal concern. There may be another blog in that one.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Status Check: The boys this week
B -- fine, but due for allergy tests. He's had intermittent congestion (the nasty, green kind) and is breathing noisily at night, but nothing alarming. We're going to do the "real" allergy tests this time -- not just blood work. (Damn, gotta schedule that...) He's 5 now. It's time.
Oz -- He's 2-1/2 now, can you believe it? GORGEOUS, too. Anyway, he's coughing at night and has been for a few weeks. He's had a goopy, green nose on and off for 2-3 weeks now. He's also been up 2-3 times per night pretty much all summer. Now that I'm typing this out, I'm feeling pretty idiotic for not having taken him to the peds. pulmo already. I'll get right on that.
Iggy -- 9 months next week. He's getting so big so fast! (SOB!) He's had a cold or two, but overall, he's been doing great. I've stayed off shellfish and kept him off dairy, and we haven't seen hives since. We'll do allergy tests at his next checkup.
In other Iggy news -- still not sleeping through the night, so I'm up with him at 2, Oz at 4, and dragging through my days. It's painful. He is babbling like mad, sitting up on his own, and ready to crawl. He's very cute!!!
My predictions for our next PP visit: Bryn and Oz both go on Flovent 44. I'm also guessing that Bryn will, once again, not successfully complete a PFT.
We'll see, soon enough!!
Oz -- He's 2-1/2 now, can you believe it? GORGEOUS, too. Anyway, he's coughing at night and has been for a few weeks. He's had a goopy, green nose on and off for 2-3 weeks now. He's also been up 2-3 times per night pretty much all summer. Now that I'm typing this out, I'm feeling pretty idiotic for not having taken him to the peds. pulmo already. I'll get right on that.
Iggy -- 9 months next week. He's getting so big so fast! (SOB!) He's had a cold or two, but overall, he's been doing great. I've stayed off shellfish and kept him off dairy, and we haven't seen hives since. We'll do allergy tests at his next checkup.
In other Iggy news -- still not sleeping through the night, so I'm up with him at 2, Oz at 4, and dragging through my days. It's painful. He is babbling like mad, sitting up on his own, and ready to crawl. He's very cute!!!
My predictions for our next PP visit: Bryn and Oz both go on Flovent 44. I'm also guessing that Bryn will, once again, not successfully complete a PFT.
We'll see, soon enough!!
Aspbergers: The Beginning of a New and Very Different Year
As usual, summer flew. Here it is September again, the start of a new school year, and always for me, the most stressful time. I love fall, but loathe the change -- shorter, colder days, the end of the lighter traffic and lighter moods of summer.
This year's just a difficult to kick off for me. I resolved (yes, I actually make resolutions at the beginning of the *school* year) to get up earlier, work out for 20 minutes, and then get the kids off to daycare before 9:00. But with Iggy still not sleeping through the night, and Oz suddenly waking up with him, it's hard to face the still-dark morning. And with the boys adjusting to their new teachers and curricula, plus my biggest work project due in less than two weeks...I'm cutting myself some slack.
There's a new hurtle, too. It's the reason I haven't blogged in over a month. If you've been with me for the last 2-1/2 years, you know I don't usually stay away from the blog for that long. If you something was wrong, you guessed right.
Not long after #1 son's 5th birthday, we managed to get in with the developmental pediatrician. She was a terrific doctor -- wonderful with little B, and wonderful with me, as well. Our appointment lasted more than three hours, during which time I was interviewed about little B, and he was given a bunch of activities to perform -- drawing, writing, building with blocks -- and interviewed, as well.
The school district's preschool disabled program and B's child study team had arranged the appointment, and they were paying for it. They wanted a diagnosis so that they could provide additional services for him. I questioned whether he needed anything more than the great services he already had, which included PT and OT, but was happy to schedule the evaluation.
In terms of a diagnosis, I expected to hear that he was dyspraxic, or that he just had poor gross motor skills, and he'd outgrow this. Or that somehow, as a result of his asthma or years of inhaled steroids, he'd developed some unusual sensory issues, but that he'd outgrow them.
What I wasn't expecting was a diagnosis of Aspergers Syndrome.
Children don't outgrow Aspergers. In fact, Aspergers becomes harder to manage as they get older, becuase that's when they begin to realize that they're not like other kids. Or at least, that they're not treated like other kids.
It had been suggested years before that little B had Aspergers. When he was 2 and obsessively opening and closing cupboard doors, even we thought he might have it. But every doctor under the sun ensured us that he would be fine, he made great eye contact, he was very social, there was no way he was on the autistic spectrum.
So I was pretty well blindsided on August 10.
Aspergers is not a death sentence. Even in my horrified state, I was fully aware that nothing had changed. B was still B -- the same wonderful little boy he'd been five minutes before his diagnosis. Still gregarious, sweet and smart as ever.
The drive home was a challenge -- I had to quickly convince myself that the diagnosis was a positive. It was a tool that would both help us understand B's "quirks" and enable him to receive more services through the school district.
Why the rush? Because my husband would be a lot slower to take on this viewpoint. He would need the time to grieve the loss of his perfect goalie, his future Toronto Maple Leaf. I had to be the pillar. I had to be positive or he'd pull me into the sorrow with him -- and for B's sake, I wasn't going.
So, here we are, a month later. We decided to keep B out of Kindergarten this year, at the suggestion of the Child Study Team. He'll stay in daycare (yes, I really do have three kids in daycare) and continue to do the preschool disabled program 4 half-days per week through June. We'll take things one day at a time and see where we go from there.
It's a sad September, partially because he's NOT in Kindergarten, and in my eyes, he's ready. But I recognize that have to trust the doctors and the CST better than my eyes.
It's also sad because now, I've got to keep a secret from his new friends, and that's just not in my nature. But it's important that his friends - and their parents - see him as an equal and don't treat him any differently.
For now, his social skills are pretty normal. He makes friends easily, and even though his teachers a daycare (who, by and large, are not in the know) feel there's something special and different about him, it's something they see as a positive -- a sweetness and naivete that sets him apart from the other children.
My eyes are on the future. My feeling is that for B, is as bright and as promising as ever. I just have to keep everyone around me believe that -- B, most of all.
This year's just a difficult to kick off for me. I resolved (yes, I actually make resolutions at the beginning of the *school* year) to get up earlier, work out for 20 minutes, and then get the kids off to daycare before 9:00. But with Iggy still not sleeping through the night, and Oz suddenly waking up with him, it's hard to face the still-dark morning. And with the boys adjusting to their new teachers and curricula, plus my biggest work project due in less than two weeks...I'm cutting myself some slack.
There's a new hurtle, too. It's the reason I haven't blogged in over a month. If you've been with me for the last 2-1/2 years, you know I don't usually stay away from the blog for that long. If you something was wrong, you guessed right.
Not long after #1 son's 5th birthday, we managed to get in with the developmental pediatrician. She was a terrific doctor -- wonderful with little B, and wonderful with me, as well. Our appointment lasted more than three hours, during which time I was interviewed about little B, and he was given a bunch of activities to perform -- drawing, writing, building with blocks -- and interviewed, as well.
The school district's preschool disabled program and B's child study team had arranged the appointment, and they were paying for it. They wanted a diagnosis so that they could provide additional services for him. I questioned whether he needed anything more than the great services he already had, which included PT and OT, but was happy to schedule the evaluation.
In terms of a diagnosis, I expected to hear that he was dyspraxic, or that he just had poor gross motor skills, and he'd outgrow this. Or that somehow, as a result of his asthma or years of inhaled steroids, he'd developed some unusual sensory issues, but that he'd outgrow them.
What I wasn't expecting was a diagnosis of Aspergers Syndrome.
Children don't outgrow Aspergers. In fact, Aspergers becomes harder to manage as they get older, becuase that's when they begin to realize that they're not like other kids. Or at least, that they're not treated like other kids.
It had been suggested years before that little B had Aspergers. When he was 2 and obsessively opening and closing cupboard doors, even we thought he might have it. But every doctor under the sun ensured us that he would be fine, he made great eye contact, he was very social, there was no way he was on the autistic spectrum.
So I was pretty well blindsided on August 10.
Aspergers is not a death sentence. Even in my horrified state, I was fully aware that nothing had changed. B was still B -- the same wonderful little boy he'd been five minutes before his diagnosis. Still gregarious, sweet and smart as ever.
The drive home was a challenge -- I had to quickly convince myself that the diagnosis was a positive. It was a tool that would both help us understand B's "quirks" and enable him to receive more services through the school district.
Why the rush? Because my husband would be a lot slower to take on this viewpoint. He would need the time to grieve the loss of his perfect goalie, his future Toronto Maple Leaf. I had to be the pillar. I had to be positive or he'd pull me into the sorrow with him -- and for B's sake, I wasn't going.
So, here we are, a month later. We decided to keep B out of Kindergarten this year, at the suggestion of the Child Study Team. He'll stay in daycare (yes, I really do have three kids in daycare) and continue to do the preschool disabled program 4 half-days per week through June. We'll take things one day at a time and see where we go from there.
It's a sad September, partially because he's NOT in Kindergarten, and in my eyes, he's ready. But I recognize that have to trust the doctors and the CST better than my eyes.
It's also sad because now, I've got to keep a secret from his new friends, and that's just not in my nature. But it's important that his friends - and their parents - see him as an equal and don't treat him any differently.
For now, his social skills are pretty normal. He makes friends easily, and even though his teachers a daycare (who, by and large, are not in the know) feel there's something special and different about him, it's something they see as a positive -- a sweetness and naivete that sets him apart from the other children.
My eyes are on the future. My feeling is that for B, is as bright and as promising as ever. I just have to keep everyone around me believe that -- B, most of all.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Baby Iggy's Food Allergy
Ig woke up with hives onthe outside of his buttocks on Sunday.
We started solids at six months, introducing a new food every week. First rice cereal, then bananas, then apples, pears, peas, yogurt and carrots. Couldn't tell if it was the carrots or the yogurt, but naturally, assumed it was the yogurt.
The peds agreed it was probably the yogurt, but I put him on a reduction diet anyway. Bananas and rice cereal only since Sunday. (Poor guy's probably going HATE bananas.)
But the hives were back this morning, so I took him to the peds.
Thank God I'd put him on the reduction diet...I suddenly realized (DUH) that it was something I was eating, what with me nursing and all.
I had lobster on Saturday night, and then again for lunch on Wednesday. Pretty crazy...I'm a 20+ year vegetarian, but I occasionally weaken and indulge in crustaceons. It's a rare week that I have lobster twice!
So...it seems Iain might be allergic to shellfish.
(And that'll teach me to stray form the course of vegetarianism, right? Is this some conspiracy by Peta? Do they do this to all offending veggies?)
Could be worse -- I have a girlfriend whose son breaks out in a rash every time she eats peanut butter. I can't imagine life without peanut butter. I'm far too lazy a vegetarian to live without it.
We started solids at six months, introducing a new food every week. First rice cereal, then bananas, then apples, pears, peas, yogurt and carrots. Couldn't tell if it was the carrots or the yogurt, but naturally, assumed it was the yogurt.
The peds agreed it was probably the yogurt, but I put him on a reduction diet anyway. Bananas and rice cereal only since Sunday. (Poor guy's probably going HATE bananas.)
But the hives were back this morning, so I took him to the peds.
Thank God I'd put him on the reduction diet...I suddenly realized (DUH) that it was something I was eating, what with me nursing and all.
I had lobster on Saturday night, and then again for lunch on Wednesday. Pretty crazy...I'm a 20+ year vegetarian, but I occasionally weaken and indulge in crustaceons. It's a rare week that I have lobster twice!
So...it seems Iain might be allergic to shellfish.
(And that'll teach me to stray form the course of vegetarianism, right? Is this some conspiracy by Peta? Do they do this to all offending veggies?)
Could be worse -- I have a girlfriend whose son breaks out in a rash every time she eats peanut butter. I can't imagine life without peanut butter. I'm far too lazy a vegetarian to live without it.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
How to Tell the Difference Between a Cold and an Asthma Attack in a Toddler
I've been thinking a lot about this lately. I sometimes feel like I take my kids to the pediatrician or the pulmonologist too often -- like every time they have a cold. I always ask myself, am I overreacting? Am I one of those parents doctors loathe?
My kids don't wheeze audibly, so it can be hard to tell when their asthma's acting up. B's getting older, so he can tell me - but Oz can be a little mysterious.
Then it occured to me: I've never had a non-asthmatic toddler! I've rarely (if ever) had a preschooler who *just* had a cold.
So, based on conversations with friends and my own observations, here is how you can tell your kid may be having an asthma attack (or "flare," if you're using the new, non-violent lingo). As always, CALL YOUR DOCTOR if you suspect your child's asthma is acting up:
1. Regular kids with colds usually act like normal kids; they just have runny noses and coughs. If your toddler has a cold, is crying constantly (or like mine, begging to be carried everywhere), whining like mad, and /or not eating, it may be more than a regular cold. (Of course, it could also just be a sore throat or ear infection - make sure your doctor checks for those, too.)
2. Your child has a dry, hacking cough that disappears as quickly as it appeared.
With Oz's recent flare, he was miserable for 48 hours. His cough came on suddenly, but after two days of alternating DuoNeb and Xopenex, it literally dissipated (along with his whining) over the space of a few hours.
3. Finally, your child has a cough that responds miraculously to albuterol or xopenex - particularly after nothing else has worked.
Again, this is non-scientific, and I'm NOT a doctor. I've got nothing like a medical degree. I thought these tips might be helpful to others whose kids have the elusive variety of asthma my kids seem to have -- but if you think your child might be flaring, definitely call you doctor. I can't reinforce that enough.
My kids don't wheeze audibly, so it can be hard to tell when their asthma's acting up. B's getting older, so he can tell me - but Oz can be a little mysterious.
Then it occured to me: I've never had a non-asthmatic toddler! I've rarely (if ever) had a preschooler who *just* had a cold.
So, based on conversations with friends and my own observations, here is how you can tell your kid may be having an asthma attack (or "flare," if you're using the new, non-violent lingo). As always, CALL YOUR DOCTOR if you suspect your child's asthma is acting up:
1. Regular kids with colds usually act like normal kids; they just have runny noses and coughs. If your toddler has a cold, is crying constantly (or like mine, begging to be carried everywhere), whining like mad, and /or not eating, it may be more than a regular cold. (Of course, it could also just be a sore throat or ear infection - make sure your doctor checks for those, too.)
2. Your child has a dry, hacking cough that disappears as quickly as it appeared.
With Oz's recent flare, he was miserable for 48 hours. His cough came on suddenly, but after two days of alternating DuoNeb and Xopenex, it literally dissipated (along with his whining) over the space of a few hours.
3. Finally, your child has a cough that responds miraculously to albuterol or xopenex - particularly after nothing else has worked.
Again, this is non-scientific, and I'm NOT a doctor. I've got nothing like a medical degree. I thought these tips might be helpful to others whose kids have the elusive variety of asthma my kids seem to have -- but if you think your child might be flaring, definitely call you doctor. I can't reinforce that enough.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Mama's 35th Birthday and an Update: B still has rash (from Singulair?), Oz's asthma is flaring
B's finally looking better. I switched from a 1% cortisone cream to .5% gel, and it seems to be working well. Only two weeks!
Not sure if I mentioned it before, but the doctor seems to think the rash may have been caused by his Singulair. Sure, he's been on it for nearly three years, but he was on Flovent for three-and-a-half years, and since corticosteroids like Flovent are immunosuppressant, they suspect the Flovent supressed the reaction to the Singulair. As a result, the rash appeared when we tooke the steroids out of the mix.
In other news, I'm taking Oz to the PP today. He's not doing too well. He started coughing Tuesday, so I kept him home and nebbed every four hours. Yesterday, he seemed better, so I nebbed in the AM, and sent him to school with his albuterol MDI.
He was okay yesterday, but he did wake up from his nap coughing. The daycare called and I had them give him an extra dose of albuterol, which seemed to help. He was happy enough when he came home, and he slept relatively well.
He was a bit rough this morning, but that's usually a bad time for my kids. I gave him a neb and some Dimetapp, then we ran a few errands before landing at daycare. By the time we got there, he was so sad and clingy, I knew I'd have to turn around and take him home.
Now he's sleeping (totally uncharacteristic) and he's definitely a little bluish around the eyes and very goopy. No fever -- just the dry cough.
It could just be a cold, but we've only been off the Flovent for two weeks, so I'm not taking any chances!!!
Quite a way to spend my 35th Birthday. :-(
Not sure if I mentioned it before, but the doctor seems to think the rash may have been caused by his Singulair. Sure, he's been on it for nearly three years, but he was on Flovent for three-and-a-half years, and since corticosteroids like Flovent are immunosuppressant, they suspect the Flovent supressed the reaction to the Singulair. As a result, the rash appeared when we tooke the steroids out of the mix.
In other news, I'm taking Oz to the PP today. He's not doing too well. He started coughing Tuesday, so I kept him home and nebbed every four hours. Yesterday, he seemed better, so I nebbed in the AM, and sent him to school with his albuterol MDI.
He was okay yesterday, but he did wake up from his nap coughing. The daycare called and I had them give him an extra dose of albuterol, which seemed to help. He was happy enough when he came home, and he slept relatively well.
He was a bit rough this morning, but that's usually a bad time for my kids. I gave him a neb and some Dimetapp, then we ran a few errands before landing at daycare. By the time we got there, he was so sad and clingy, I knew I'd have to turn around and take him home.
Now he's sleeping (totally uncharacteristic) and he's definitely a little bluish around the eyes and very goopy. No fever -- just the dry cough.
It could just be a cold, but we've only been off the Flovent for two weeks, so I'm not taking any chances!!!
Quite a way to spend my 35th Birthday. :-(
Sunday, July 09, 2006
B looks worse -- getting really concerned!
Just an update -- little B's rash is worse, and it's been 9 days now since it started. He's a little lethargic (as mentioned in the previous post) and he woke up a bit congested today.
At least the congestion gave me an excuse to start albuterol.
The worst part is that we've scared him with our concern. He was uncharacteristically teary and melancholy tonight (more from exhaustion, I'm sure) and he asked me, "Am I going to be alright, Mom?"
So, add guilt to my concern now.
Honestly, it's hard to not be concerned -- I'm damned near panic, quite frankly. He really looks THAT bad. All I need is one good wheeze, and I'm off to the ER.
At least the congestion gave me an excuse to start albuterol.
The worst part is that we've scared him with our concern. He was uncharacteristically teary and melancholy tonight (more from exhaustion, I'm sure) and he asked me, "Am I going to be alright, Mom?"
So, add guilt to my concern now.
Honestly, it's hard to not be concerned -- I'm damned near panic, quite frankly. He really looks THAT bad. All I need is one good wheeze, and I'm off to the ER.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Bad News: B looks AWFUL. Steroid Acne or Asthma Attack Brewing?
So, they're off corticosteroids. That's the good news.
Here's the bad news: Bryn looks AWFUL. It may just be what the dermatologist determined was "steroid acne", but he's get a red rash around his eyes, on his nose and on his cheeks and chin that looks terrible! His eyes are red-rimmed, as the rash or acne is actually on his eyelids, too, and bloodshot. He's really pale, too.
He looks apalling, but seems fine otherwise...maybe just a little lethargic.
I'm so worried about him. I've called four doctors (yes, really) and they all think I'm nuts. Our PP and her nurse-practioner are both on vacation (the nerve of them, vacationing at the same time! Didn't they know I'd need them?), so I've had to speak to two other doctors in the practice who think I'm a looney hypochondriac who wants her kid back on steroids. We actually *saw* our pediatrician, who was baffled but largely unconcerned, and a dermatologist who thought it was steroid acne (as mentioned above).
Any thoughts? This all started just as we were tapering him off the Flovent. I feel like we're working up to a major blowout flare. And he really looks so bad that I'm considering a trip to the ER.
Here's the bad news: Bryn looks AWFUL. It may just be what the dermatologist determined was "steroid acne", but he's get a red rash around his eyes, on his nose and on his cheeks and chin that looks terrible! His eyes are red-rimmed, as the rash or acne is actually on his eyelids, too, and bloodshot. He's really pale, too.
He looks apalling, but seems fine otherwise...maybe just a little lethargic.
I'm so worried about him. I've called four doctors (yes, really) and they all think I'm nuts. Our PP and her nurse-practioner are both on vacation (the nerve of them, vacationing at the same time! Didn't they know I'd need them?), so I've had to speak to two other doctors in the practice who think I'm a looney hypochondriac who wants her kid back on steroids. We actually *saw* our pediatrician, who was baffled but largely unconcerned, and a dermatologist who thought it was steroid acne (as mentioned above).
Any thoughts? This all started just as we were tapering him off the Flovent. I feel like we're working up to a major blowout flare. And he really looks so bad that I'm considering a trip to the ER.
Good News -- We're off Flovent!
Just a quick, two-weeks overdue update: The boys are off Flovent! This the first time in over three years for little B. We're thrilled! He's also off the Nasonex.
Ozzie will stay off indefinitely; B will go back on a low dose for the winter. We're so happy that they've been healthy long enough to go drug free. Yea!
Ozzie will stay off indefinitely; B will go back on a low dose for the winter. We're so happy that they've been healthy long enough to go drug free. Yea!
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Long Overdue Post on "Deadly Asthma Inhalers"
I've been meaning to post this for a week! From HealthDay, June 8:
THURSDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- Adding to the ongoing controversy over a popular class of asthma inhaler medications, a new data review suggests the drugs may be dangerous.
Compared to placebo, the "long-acting beta-agonist bronchodilator" inhalers (which include Serevent and Advair) more than tripled users' risk of asthma-linked death, according to the report. Risks of hospitalization and life-threatening complications also went up.
"These agents should not be used," concluded lead author Dr. Shelley Salpeter, a clinical professor of medicine at Stanford University and a physician at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif.
However, another doctor said the drugs are still safe enough to use -- although they should be prescribed carefully.
Long-acting beta-agonist bronchodilators are designed to help relax airway muscles and improve breathing. They include popular medications such as Serevent (salmeterol) and Advair (which combines salmeterol with a steroid). The drugs are reportedly expected to gross nearly $7 billion in sales to consumers this year.
Another family of bronchodilators, called inhaled anticholinergics, are "very safe and effective," Salpeter said. But long-acting beta-agonist drugs have been controversial. Last year, the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that the drugs could worsen symptoms and even lead to death.
In the new report, Salpeter and colleagues launched a broad review, or "meta-analysis," examining the results of 19 asthma drug studies involving nearly 34,000 participants.
The findings are expected to appear in the July 4 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The experts found that, compared to placebo, long-acting beta-agonists boosted the risk of asthma-related hospitalization by 2.6 times and the risk of life-threatening complications by 1.8 times.
The risk of death rose by 3.5 times, although the researchers caution that the very small number of deaths recorded in the studies limits the "reliability" of that number. Even so, the findings suggest that salmeterol could be responsible for 4,000 of the annual 5,000 asthma deaths in the United States, the study authors said.
"The take-home message is that long-acting beta-agonists worsen asthma control and increase the risk for moderate asthma exacerbations, life-threatening asthma exacerbations and asthma deaths," Salpeter said. "These can occur without any warning from increased symptoms, which make them especially dangerous," he added.
Not so fast, said the author of a commentary accompanying the report findings.
While they have dangers, the drugs can still "be helpful to some people," said Dr. Jeffrey Glassroth, professor of medicine at Tufts University in Boston.
If the drugs weren't used, "we might prevent some adverse reactions, but we might create as many, or even more, problems in our asthmatic population," Glassroth said. "What I would like to see is more rigorous adherence to the current guidelines that suggest they aren't first-line therapy. There are other things to be used first, and, for many patients, that may be all they need," he said.
Meanwhile, research findings suggest that some groups -- such as African-Americans -- might be at especially higher risk if they use the drugs, he said.
It's unclear how the drugs work, and it's not known why they can be dangerous for some people and not others, Glassroth added, although genetic factors may play a role.
THURSDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- Adding to the ongoing controversy over a popular class of asthma inhaler medications, a new data review suggests the drugs may be dangerous.
Compared to placebo, the "long-acting beta-agonist bronchodilator" inhalers (which include Serevent and Advair) more than tripled users' risk of asthma-linked death, according to the report. Risks of hospitalization and life-threatening complications also went up.
"These agents should not be used," concluded lead author Dr. Shelley Salpeter, a clinical professor of medicine at Stanford University and a physician at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif.
However, another doctor said the drugs are still safe enough to use -- although they should be prescribed carefully.
Long-acting beta-agonist bronchodilators are designed to help relax airway muscles and improve breathing. They include popular medications such as Serevent (salmeterol) and Advair (which combines salmeterol with a steroid). The drugs are reportedly expected to gross nearly $7 billion in sales to consumers this year.
Another family of bronchodilators, called inhaled anticholinergics, are "very safe and effective," Salpeter said. But long-acting beta-agonist drugs have been controversial. Last year, the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that the drugs could worsen symptoms and even lead to death.
In the new report, Salpeter and colleagues launched a broad review, or "meta-analysis," examining the results of 19 asthma drug studies involving nearly 34,000 participants.
The findings are expected to appear in the July 4 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The experts found that, compared to placebo, long-acting beta-agonists boosted the risk of asthma-related hospitalization by 2.6 times and the risk of life-threatening complications by 1.8 times.
The risk of death rose by 3.5 times, although the researchers caution that the very small number of deaths recorded in the studies limits the "reliability" of that number. Even so, the findings suggest that salmeterol could be responsible for 4,000 of the annual 5,000 asthma deaths in the United States, the study authors said.
"The take-home message is that long-acting beta-agonists worsen asthma control and increase the risk for moderate asthma exacerbations, life-threatening asthma exacerbations and asthma deaths," Salpeter said. "These can occur without any warning from increased symptoms, which make them especially dangerous," he added.
Not so fast, said the author of a commentary accompanying the report findings.
While they have dangers, the drugs can still "be helpful to some people," said Dr. Jeffrey Glassroth, professor of medicine at Tufts University in Boston.
If the drugs weren't used, "we might prevent some adverse reactions, but we might create as many, or even more, problems in our asthmatic population," Glassroth said. "What I would like to see is more rigorous adherence to the current guidelines that suggest they aren't first-line therapy. There are other things to be used first, and, for many patients, that may be all they need," he said.
Meanwhile, research findings suggest that some groups -- such as African-Americans -- might be at especially higher risk if they use the drugs, he said.
It's unclear how the drugs work, and it's not known why they can be dangerous for some people and not others, Glassroth added, although genetic factors may play a role.
Little B Goes to the Peds Neurologist
Just another quickie: We took #1 son per his Child Study Team, who suspected he might be on the autistic spectrum because of his arm-flapping and toe-walking.
The brief summary: The neurologist thinks they're all nuts. Apparently these things are "soft markers" for autism, he's completely fine, and the regimen of Physical and Occupational therapy he's currently getting through the school system is sufficient.
I think she was just glad we weren't looking for a prescription for Concerta or Ritalin! I think the docs around here are pretty sick of prescribing that stuff...
Anyway, we're still going to have to take him to another Neurologist, as the school system will be sending him to theirs, but needless to say...we're relieved and pretty optimistic!!
The brief summary: The neurologist thinks they're all nuts. Apparently these things are "soft markers" for autism, he's completely fine, and the regimen of Physical and Occupational therapy he's currently getting through the school system is sufficient.
I think she was just glad we weren't looking for a prescription for Concerta or Ritalin! I think the docs around here are pretty sick of prescribing that stuff...
Anyway, we're still going to have to take him to another Neurologist, as the school system will be sending him to theirs, but needless to say...we're relieved and pretty optimistic!!
Pediatric Asthma is Just Weird Sometimes
Quick Update: Oz began a flare on Saturday -- just cranky and a little "off." He started coughing Sunday, and was coughing a lot on Monday. Monday night was a misery -- he woke up screaming because he couldn't stop coughing. Thank God we'd just gotten a lifetime supply of Xopenex from the mail-order Rx, and I'd already started DuoNeb.
I called and checked on him in daycare yesterday repeatedly, even though he'd been okay during the day -- just rough from late afternoon through early AM. But I was ready to pick him up if need be, and I'd left instructions to give him albuterol twice during the day.
I called the peds. pulmonologist yesterday just to give them a "heads up" and make sure I was taking action appropriately. I was sure I'd have to rush him over there this morning.
But, in typical asthma flare fashion, he was completely fine by the time I picked him up yesterday. Not a single cough the entire evening.
How weird is that? Monday night, he's coughing his head off. Tuesday night, nothing.
I'll taper off the rescue meds gradually, just to be safe!
I called and checked on him in daycare yesterday repeatedly, even though he'd been okay during the day -- just rough from late afternoon through early AM. But I was ready to pick him up if need be, and I'd left instructions to give him albuterol twice during the day.
I called the peds. pulmonologist yesterday just to give them a "heads up" and make sure I was taking action appropriately. I was sure I'd have to rush him over there this morning.
But, in typical asthma flare fashion, he was completely fine by the time I picked him up yesterday. Not a single cough the entire evening.
How weird is that? Monday night, he's coughing his head off. Tuesday night, nothing.
I'll taper off the rescue meds gradually, just to be safe!
Scary Headline in Fox News: Survey: 1 in 3 Fatal Asthma Attacks Involves a Child With Mild Form
Here's a terrifying news story to share with all you moms who are just getting comfortable with your kids' asthma. As if worrying about terrorists bombing your local shopping mall wasn't enough to give you nightmares. Or the fact that some inhalers might be "deadly." (Whoops. Forgot to post that. Coming up.) Anyway, the story is reprinted in full below:
Survey: 1 in 3 Fatal Asthma Attacks Involves a Child With Mild Form
VIENNA, Austria — One in three fatal asthma attacks worldwide involves a child with a mild form of the disease, and nearly half of all parents are unaware of the death risk, according to a new global survey presented Wednesday.
The European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology said the findings exposed a critical information gap between doctors who treat asthma and the parents of youngsters diagnosed with it.
"Many patients with asthma underestimate their disease severity and overestimate their degree of asthma control," the academy warned in the report issued at its annual conference, held this year in Vienna.
Dr. G. Walter Canonica, of the University of Genoa in Italy, said the survey underscored how effective treatment "is a shared responsibility requiring continuous communication among physicians and children with asthma and their parents."
"One place to start is in the area of treatment side effects ... in many cases, parents are not able to identify these side effects," he said.
Experts said that with each decade, the prevalence of asthma increased 50 percent. Worldwide, more than 300 million people are afflicted and more than 180,000 die of the disease each year, the Global Initiative for Asthma says.
Asthma is a chronic lung disease caused by airway inflammation, and certain stimuli cause the windpipe to become obstructed. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing and a tightened airway that causes shortness of breath and can be life-threatening. Allergies are responsible for more than 50 percent of asthma in adults.
Treatment for the condition costs society more than tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined, the European Academy said.
Its survey of 5,482 asthma patients, their doctors and the parents of young sufferers focused on cases in Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the United States. The academy called it the first sweeping global study of what parents do and don't know about the hazards of asthma.
Many parents cut back on treatments such as the use of drug inhalers when their children suffer side effects, the study found. Others switch asthma medications or discontinue treatment altogether, it said, cautioning that doing so "can be dangerous and greatly impact health outcomes."
Reducing or stopping treatment usually means a child's condition worsens, the report warned.
"More than three-fourths of children who are not compliant with their asthma treatment all the time experience at least one of the following: increased symptoms (66 percent), limited physical activity (48 percent), nighttime awakenings (46 percent) and more frequent asthma attacks or exacerbations (40 percent)," it said.
Those who don't follow doctors' orders end up with 38 percent more visits to physicians and are 14 percent more likely to wind up in an emergency room or hospitalized, the survey said.
Experts said that although 59 percent of parents say they comply with their doctors' instructions all the time, only 9 percent of physicians believe it because the child's symptoms are not controlled. And parents and doctors both complain that the other side doesn't initiate discussions about treatment and side effects.
"Patients with asthma, parents, and the physicians who treat them should pay close attention to the findings from this survey, which show that the way we currently treat asthma is unsatisfactory," said Dr. Erkka Valovirta, a pediatrics specialist at Finland's Turku Allergy Center.
Survey: 1 in 3 Fatal Asthma Attacks Involves a Child With Mild Form
VIENNA, Austria — One in three fatal asthma attacks worldwide involves a child with a mild form of the disease, and nearly half of all parents are unaware of the death risk, according to a new global survey presented Wednesday.
The European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology said the findings exposed a critical information gap between doctors who treat asthma and the parents of youngsters diagnosed with it.
"Many patients with asthma underestimate their disease severity and overestimate their degree of asthma control," the academy warned in the report issued at its annual conference, held this year in Vienna.
Dr. G. Walter Canonica, of the University of Genoa in Italy, said the survey underscored how effective treatment "is a shared responsibility requiring continuous communication among physicians and children with asthma and their parents."
"One place to start is in the area of treatment side effects ... in many cases, parents are not able to identify these side effects," he said.
Experts said that with each decade, the prevalence of asthma increased 50 percent. Worldwide, more than 300 million people are afflicted and more than 180,000 die of the disease each year, the Global Initiative for Asthma says.
Asthma is a chronic lung disease caused by airway inflammation, and certain stimuli cause the windpipe to become obstructed. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing and a tightened airway that causes shortness of breath and can be life-threatening. Allergies are responsible for more than 50 percent of asthma in adults.
Treatment for the condition costs society more than tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS combined, the European Academy said.
Its survey of 5,482 asthma patients, their doctors and the parents of young sufferers focused on cases in Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the United States. The academy called it the first sweeping global study of what parents do and don't know about the hazards of asthma.
Many parents cut back on treatments such as the use of drug inhalers when their children suffer side effects, the study found. Others switch asthma medications or discontinue treatment altogether, it said, cautioning that doing so "can be dangerous and greatly impact health outcomes."
Reducing or stopping treatment usually means a child's condition worsens, the report warned.
"More than three-fourths of children who are not compliant with their asthma treatment all the time experience at least one of the following: increased symptoms (66 percent), limited physical activity (48 percent), nighttime awakenings (46 percent) and more frequent asthma attacks or exacerbations (40 percent)," it said.
Those who don't follow doctors' orders end up with 38 percent more visits to physicians and are 14 percent more likely to wind up in an emergency room or hospitalized, the survey said.
Experts said that although 59 percent of parents say they comply with their doctors' instructions all the time, only 9 percent of physicians believe it because the child's symptoms are not controlled. And parents and doctors both complain that the other side doesn't initiate discussions about treatment and side effects.
"Patients with asthma, parents, and the physicians who treat them should pay close attention to the findings from this survey, which show that the way we currently treat asthma is unsatisfactory," said Dr. Erkka Valovirta, a pediatrics specialist at Finland's Turku Allergy Center.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
New Resource: RemedyFind
Just a quick one: Not sure how good this is, but it was posted to the Asthma-Parents email list --
RemedyFind
Let me know what you think. I'm hoping it's not another scam site selling liquid oxygen or something ridiculous like that. It would be cool to have another useful, unbiased asthma site in the universe!
RemedyFind
Let me know what you think. I'm hoping it's not another scam site selling liquid oxygen or something ridiculous like that. It would be cool to have another useful, unbiased asthma site in the universe!
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Fumes in the Daycare Center? Only in My World...
Tuesday: I go to pick up the big boys at their daycare center, only to find that they're in a completely different part of the building. (The company that owns the center also owns a Gymboree-like business, housed in the same building. That's where they were.)
When I asked why, I was told that in the roof repairs currently underway, they were using a glue that produced an odor that "smells really bad."
It wasn't until I went to get the boys' things that I realized the place smelled like it had been freshly spraypainted from floor to ceiling! "Smells bad" was the understatement of the decade.
And of course it triggered the boys' asthma, only a little. I felt badly -- they'd been really, really cranky that night, and I'd assumed it was because they'd missed a snack in all the hubbub. When I realized they were both working pretty hard at breathing in their sleep, I felt really bad! I 'd been a little short with them (three cranky kids under the age of five...you tend to be a little short occasionally!). I hadn't even thought it could have been their asthma/RAD acting up. Duh.
Wednesday: I have to say, I'm pretty psyched to finally be in the office three days a week. My plan is to go in Monday, Weds., Thurs, but I have an out-of-town, work-related party today, so I worked from home with Iggy, then dropped him with my Dad at 3:00 so I could make the 4:000 event. I'm happy. It's a gorgeous day, and I'm meeting my CEOs and some co-workers for dinner on the porch of a Victorian hotel. I'm wearing a long flowy skirt and dreaming of lemonade.
I'm about 25% of the way there when my mobile phone rings. It's the daycare. They're closing early because of the fumes. Can I please come get my kids?
I pull over and try to call my husband, because I *really* don't want to miss this event. I *really* don't want to turn the car around and pick up the kids instead of sitting in the sun with my coworkers.
And I'm EXTRA pissed off, because I'd specifically mentioned to the director that I was concerned about the odor because of the kids' asthma, and she assured me all was well. (I also told #1 son that he should ask for his albuterol if his chest hurt or if he was coughing. He's pretty reliable with stuff like this, despite his young age.) I had also spoken to the area director that morning, who neglected to mention the persistence of the fumes.
So I eventually get B on the phone, and he does leave early to get the kids, and MAN is he mad! He's especially mad because he's found out that the center was supposed to close at 3:00 -- and we didn't get called til 3:40!
Do you think they should have called the asthmatic kids' parents first? There definitely are enough of us!
And while I did make it to my event (yea!) I did arrive home to the terrible news that center would be closed today and Friday. :-(
So much for three days in the office THIS week.
The daycare did call the Department of Health, and apparently everything is safe, but they felt better airing out the fumes.
And PS, Little B is coughing tonight.
Do you believe this nonsens. I swear, Icouldn't make this stuff up if I tried!
When I asked why, I was told that in the roof repairs currently underway, they were using a glue that produced an odor that "smells really bad."
It wasn't until I went to get the boys' things that I realized the place smelled like it had been freshly spraypainted from floor to ceiling! "Smells bad" was the understatement of the decade.
And of course it triggered the boys' asthma, only a little. I felt badly -- they'd been really, really cranky that night, and I'd assumed it was because they'd missed a snack in all the hubbub. When I realized they were both working pretty hard at breathing in their sleep, I felt really bad! I 'd been a little short with them (three cranky kids under the age of five...you tend to be a little short occasionally!). I hadn't even thought it could have been their asthma/RAD acting up. Duh.
Wednesday: I have to say, I'm pretty psyched to finally be in the office three days a week. My plan is to go in Monday, Weds., Thurs, but I have an out-of-town, work-related party today, so I worked from home with Iggy, then dropped him with my Dad at 3:00 so I could make the 4:000 event. I'm happy. It's a gorgeous day, and I'm meeting my CEOs and some co-workers for dinner on the porch of a Victorian hotel. I'm wearing a long flowy skirt and dreaming of lemonade.
I'm about 25% of the way there when my mobile phone rings. It's the daycare. They're closing early because of the fumes. Can I please come get my kids?
I pull over and try to call my husband, because I *really* don't want to miss this event. I *really* don't want to turn the car around and pick up the kids instead of sitting in the sun with my coworkers.
And I'm EXTRA pissed off, because I'd specifically mentioned to the director that I was concerned about the odor because of the kids' asthma, and she assured me all was well. (I also told #1 son that he should ask for his albuterol if his chest hurt or if he was coughing. He's pretty reliable with stuff like this, despite his young age.) I had also spoken to the area director that morning, who neglected to mention the persistence of the fumes.
So I eventually get B on the phone, and he does leave early to get the kids, and MAN is he mad! He's especially mad because he's found out that the center was supposed to close at 3:00 -- and we didn't get called til 3:40!
Do you think they should have called the asthmatic kids' parents first? There definitely are enough of us!
And while I did make it to my event (yea!) I did arrive home to the terrible news that center would be closed today and Friday. :-(
So much for three days in the office THIS week.
The daycare did call the Department of Health, and apparently everything is safe, but they felt better airing out the fumes.
And PS, Little B is coughing tonight.
Do you believe this nonsens. I swear, Icouldn't make this stuff up if I tried!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
B not starting Kindergarten.
Almost forgot. We had a meeting with B's Child Study Team (CST) at his elementary school on Friday. Looks like we'll be waiting to start Kindergarten.
Can't say I'm happy about that. On the most superficial level, I never would have (a) had another baby or (b) bought a new house if I EVER thought I was going to have three kids in daycare at the same time.
On a slightly deeper level, I'm sad because he's SO bright, I really believe he's intellectually ready for school. But his CST is so concerned about his arm-flapping, toe-walking, and impulsivity, they really think we should wait.
What helped us make the decision to wait (we were so against it!) was talking to other parents. Since we are in one of the nation's top school districts, it seems things have gotten very competitive around here. Lots of parents whose kids were born in the summer (like B, an August baby) wait until the following year to start their kids in school. Which means that not only might B be the youngest if he starts next year, he'll be the youngest by FAR. And apparently, kids around here are dating and fooling around by the sixth grade (was that vomit I just tasted?) and the age/maturity difference between B and the others might be so profound, that the social damage could be irreparable.
And nevermind that in this town full of over-achievers, being 10-11 months younger means he'd have to work that much harder to keep up academically, too.
Seems parents of kids without learning disabilities make the decision to wait - sometimes at birth!- so we'll do it while we can. Once we start public kindergarten, there's no going back. At this stage, he won't realize what we're doing, and he's happy to stay at his daycare another year with Oz. (Iggy will be there too in the winter.) If we held him back once he was in the public school system, he'd realize it -- and so would the other kids.
The plan for next year is to put him the Kindergarten class at his daycare (it's certified, but I doubt it's as good as the public school) but send him to the preschool disabled program he's currently attending. Right now, a mini bus picks him up at daycare and takes him to and from the program in the afternoons. Next year, it will be the same.
The CST said he had really made improvements since starting the preschool disabled program in January. Their feeling was that he should have all or nearly all of his problems ironed out by next year.
Their also sending him for a full development evaluation at the great hospital nearby. They're concerned about the physcality of his issues -- the arm flapping, toe walking and head shaking, which all look like autism. He's clearly not autistic, but they'd like him to have an eval. just in case.
Fine by me. I've been trying to get an appointment for an evaluation there for MONTHS and I can't even get a return phone call! I'm taking him to a pediatric neurologist next month at the other nearby hospital...but I'm really glad they're getting us in with other doctors.
I absolutely don't think B is "on the spectrum," but we'll see.
Can't say I'm happy about that. On the most superficial level, I never would have (a) had another baby or (b) bought a new house if I EVER thought I was going to have three kids in daycare at the same time.
On a slightly deeper level, I'm sad because he's SO bright, I really believe he's intellectually ready for school. But his CST is so concerned about his arm-flapping, toe-walking, and impulsivity, they really think we should wait.
What helped us make the decision to wait (we were so against it!) was talking to other parents. Since we are in one of the nation's top school districts, it seems things have gotten very competitive around here. Lots of parents whose kids were born in the summer (like B, an August baby) wait until the following year to start their kids in school. Which means that not only might B be the youngest if he starts next year, he'll be the youngest by FAR. And apparently, kids around here are dating and fooling around by the sixth grade (was that vomit I just tasted?) and the age/maturity difference between B and the others might be so profound, that the social damage could be irreparable.
And nevermind that in this town full of over-achievers, being 10-11 months younger means he'd have to work that much harder to keep up academically, too.
Seems parents of kids without learning disabilities make the decision to wait - sometimes at birth!- so we'll do it while we can. Once we start public kindergarten, there's no going back. At this stage, he won't realize what we're doing, and he's happy to stay at his daycare another year with Oz. (Iggy will be there too in the winter.) If we held him back once he was in the public school system, he'd realize it -- and so would the other kids.
The plan for next year is to put him the Kindergarten class at his daycare (it's certified, but I doubt it's as good as the public school) but send him to the preschool disabled program he's currently attending. Right now, a mini bus picks him up at daycare and takes him to and from the program in the afternoons. Next year, it will be the same.
The CST said he had really made improvements since starting the preschool disabled program in January. Their feeling was that he should have all or nearly all of his problems ironed out by next year.
Their also sending him for a full development evaluation at the great hospital nearby. They're concerned about the physcality of his issues -- the arm flapping, toe walking and head shaking, which all look like autism. He's clearly not autistic, but they'd like him to have an eval. just in case.
Fine by me. I've been trying to get an appointment for an evaluation there for MONTHS and I can't even get a return phone call! I'm taking him to a pediatric neurologist next month at the other nearby hospital...but I'm really glad they're getting us in with other doctors.
I absolutely don't think B is "on the spectrum," but we'll see.
Still some grunting...but very quiet around here!
Just an update -- Oz does still seems to have a bit of grunting in the morning, but otherwise things are quiet. No flares, no colds, no sinus infections, even in the worst allergy season we've ever seen here on the eastern seaboard.
We'll be going to the PP soon just for a check up for both boys. We'll see how that goes. I'm hoping to get Ozzie off the Flovent for the summer (although with the grunting, I don't see that happening) and big B down to the 44. Considering he was on Flovent 22o less than a year ago, 44 is an ambitious goal!
I'm also supposed to take Baby Iggy for a chest Xray. Not sure if I'll do it. I guess I should...what with respiratory distress at birth, a possible case of pertussis and then his turning blue. And he's barely five months old!!! I just hate to do it, not only because of the radiation, but it is such a pain in the ass to take your baby for an Xray at a major teaching hospital. It takes hours, it's horrible...there's just nothing nice about the experience. Maybe they'll let me go to the imagine center here instead.
Anyway. There's your update.
We'll be going to the PP soon just for a check up for both boys. We'll see how that goes. I'm hoping to get Ozzie off the Flovent for the summer (although with the grunting, I don't see that happening) and big B down to the 44. Considering he was on Flovent 22o less than a year ago, 44 is an ambitious goal!
I'm also supposed to take Baby Iggy for a chest Xray. Not sure if I'll do it. I guess I should...what with respiratory distress at birth, a possible case of pertussis and then his turning blue. And he's barely five months old!!! I just hate to do it, not only because of the radiation, but it is such a pain in the ass to take your baby for an Xray at a major teaching hospital. It takes hours, it's horrible...there's just nothing nice about the experience. Maybe they'll let me go to the imagine center here instead.
Anyway. There's your update.
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