Regular readers of our blog will know that for the past three months, we've struggled to identify and treat Colin's breathing issues. We've been back and forth to the pediatrician's, but we usually return pretty promptly to square one: 2am ventolin and saline treatments and a lot of runny noses, huffing and puffing throughout the day.
Possibly exacerbated by a small cold he may have caught from me, Colin's breathing issues got dramatically worse over Monday night. He started to wheeze heavily and his breathing was laboured. At 2am Tuesday morning, I brought him to the Emergency at the closest hospital. A chest x-ray revealed that his left lung was murky, so he was diagnosed with pneumonia, given a ventolin mask and antibiotics and we were home by 6am.
But later yesterday afternoon, his breathing got much worse. His chest and ribs were heaving with every breath and he looked panicked and was very agitated - symptoms I know all too well. His wheezing was audible across the room. I rushed him to the Children's Hospital and they treated him for acute respiratory distress. We had six more ventolin masks and two rounds of inhalers over the course of the next ten hours as well as a dose of prednisone. His breathing and wheezing showed a slow but steady improvement while he was in the hospital, and we're doing another four days of prednisone at home along with his ventolin and a "maintenance" inhaler to get his lungs in better shape. Another x-ray showed atelectasis , which is pretty common for asthmatics. The maintenance inhaler should help reduce the problem, and hopefully keep it at bay. It could take three weeks for that inhaler to take effect, so we were told that we might end up back at Emergency before then.
Colin had a very peaceful night (FINALLY!!), but this morning he was extremely wheezy and laboured in his breathing, so back we went. They gave him more ventolin and monitored him for two hours. We were home in time for lunch :) His appetite over the past few days was poor, but this was compounded by his inability to eat because he couldn't breath.
But I am so proud of my little guy... though the three nose and throat suctioning episodes, the near-constant breathing checks and monitoring, the various masks, the serious lack of sleep, the two chest x-rays (in a contraption like this) he was still all smiles and charmed everyone he met. I even got him to raise his little arms and pump his fists in the air during the x-ray while doing his favourite "Go Colin!" chant.
Here's hoping we nipped this in the bud, and he'll continue to improve. Now, we have to figure out what's triggering his asthma. Edward and I have the devastating thought that it could be a little four legged pup.... Sigh.
Ugh asthma. I had asthma as a kid -- triggered by my parents constant smoking. I luckily outgrew it by 13, but not before spending several stays at the hospital. Poor Colin! Is there someway you could trail the dog? Would an allergy panel have it show up?
ReplyDeleteWe're probably going to have the dog leave the house for a week to see what happens. The thing is, Colin started having these symptoms right after we moved into the new house. He's been exposed to the dog since he came home from the hospital at 3 weeks, so....? I'm sure the dog isn't helping, but I'm not convinced he's the whole problem. As for allergy testing, from what I was told it's pretty inconclusive at this age. My nephew had it done when he was 2ish, and they got results that jived with their own trigger suspicions, so we may have to wait a while before we can try that route. In the meantime, we're going to bath the dog more often (he gets a bath every two weeks), clean up his hair more religiously and restrict his access to Colin.
ReplyDeleteHi Sandra,
ReplyDeleteKerri here. Not sure if you remember me or not, but I am the mom of the twins (Evans boy and girl) who were in the NICU at the same time as your wee ones. We religiously follow your blog and this morning when I read the latest my heart went out to you guys. Life with multiples is challenging (to say the very least) and when something like this pops up it makes things increasingly more worrisome, hectic and challenging.
I hope lil Mr. Colin starts getting some relief SOON. Poor fella.
Sandra, you are always in my thoughts. Many people look at me and say "I don't know how you do it", but really, I don't know how YOU do it! You do such a great job.
Sending healing vibes!
Kerri (and family)
Thank you, Kerri. Your comment means so much to me. Thanks for keeping up with us!! I hope your brood is doing well, too :)
ReplyDelete