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Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
How do we help our severe, chronic asthmatic 3 yr old girl with reflux?
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We seem to keep hitting brick walls with our local hospital unsure if it is the system or just that we are public, or an inept paediatrician. My daughter has been in ICU twice this year already and has had numerous stays this and last year. we thought the probitor 10mg daily beat it for last 4 months , but no.
We checked for cystic fibrosis not that. we cant get in for an allergy test for 1 month. Tried flixotide and alvesco(4 months now) The doctor thinks she may need reflux op but he saying the nearest specialist who can do it is in Melbourne and nearest urgent apt is in 3 mths. She has had in depth immune check , scope to check airways.
She gets seriously low on oxygen and we are scared she may get worse and the impact it may cause on her body organs. Please tell us where or what to do. -
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Jennie Rogers nee Studdert
Registered Nurse
I have been a paediatric registered nurse for over twenty years. I am trained asthma educator, early childhood nurse and currently work in the area … View Profile
Hi there,
It sounds like you have a hard time of it and that your need some answers and are very frustrated with what is going on so far.. From what I am reading it sounds like your daughter has at least a couple of things going on for her, both asthma and reflux. Also, from what you have written, you have had lots of investigations done and are also seeking further advice, which I suggest is the right thing to be doing. You do not actually write as to why your daughter has been admitted to ICU or her age, these things may help to give some further advice. I suggest if you saw a benefit with the asthma and reflux treatment then to definitely continue in these, both these conditions are chronic conditions that are not cured but managed with medications, but there will be times when they can ‘flare up as such’. This is when further treatments maybe required. It may be beneficial to seek further advice from a separate paediatrician if you have access to this. Good luck.
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Thanks Jennie, Sheri is 3 yrs old and she in hopital frequently and been icu twice already this year for not being able to breath, low ox and in icu january she had pnemonia as top lobe right lung collapsed. On other times when we go hospital she is xrayed and usaually partial collapse somewhere on either lung. she has had camera down to look and her airways when she was well and they were clear. It just scares me as I know there will be another attack soon and am fustrated that dr's are letting it go on this long without sending her to another specialist it has been over a year this been going on. I think it reflux triggering (she doesnt vomit though) as it is in my famliy a few of us have already had the operation to fix.
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Jennie Rogers nee Studdert
Registered Nurse
I have been a paediatric registered nurse for over twenty years. I am trained asthma educator, early childhood nurse and currently work in the area … View Profile
Hi bella
I can understand your frustration, you can ask to see further specialists and are entitled to further opinions which sounds like is what is happening. The frustrating part is the waiting to get in.
Do you have an asthma management plan? If so, do you follow it both when sheri is well and sick. Good management of asthma involves both use of preventer medication regularly, and then using reliever puffers when sick. Can you identify what triggers her asthma symptoms to worsen and try and avoid these? You wrote that she was well on preventers for four months, this is good and did you continue on the preventers?
Good luck, I hope you get some further answers when you see the allergy specialist and gastro doctor.Report this post
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I believe it is reflux that triggers this as usually happens at night and we have constant heater in her room. We do know that viruses and flu/colds also trigger. She is on preventers and losec but this has not helped her or changed anything. We do have asthma plan and we do stick to it but it says if needing more than 6 pffs ventolin in 3 hrs to take her to hospital and if that was what we did she would be there every other day they give her 6 pffs every 20 mins in hospital so they know that I try this for some time at home before I bring her in and they say that is good. On many occassions she has had about 100 pffs in 8 hrs and it no suprise when i tell dr's at hospital. I know this cannot be good for her and the prednimix she is on approx twice month for 3-5 days….
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I worry that it is putting my daughter in danger while waiting for help as it has been near a year and this cannot be good on her heart and lungs. Also the possibility of her dying or lack of oxygen. It scares us so much. She is a twin and her sister is fine but she has a brother who is 4 1/2 and he quite often ill too and does go to hospital for asthma occassionaly but is never as severe as Sheri. I believe that he also may suffer from reflux but he has not had any tests other than an allergy which was clear.
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