My youngest ds has asthma. He was diagnosed at 3. My oldest ds(almost 8) has always been very healthy. Over the last 3 months he has been getting chest colds all the time. He seems to be getting short of breath when he gets them. His ped. mentioned asthma last time we were there. Well, he has a cold again. Last night he just couldn't stop coughing and he said his chest was tight, so I used my youngest's ds's inhaler. It helped so much. He went right to sleep. I made him a doctor's appt. for this afternoon. But, could he develope asthma now, at the age of almost 8? Has anyone had a child diagnosed with asthma at this age or older?

By Tayjar on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 02:15 pm:

My niece, who is a freshman in high school, was just diagnosed with asthma in August. They actually suspected it first during a school sports physical. Follow up testing confirmed it. She has a very mild case but it's still considered asthma. I will tell you she had a quack doctor for many years and he may not have caught it before this. I also work with an adult who was just diagnosed with asthma, again a mild case.

I hope your DS feels better soon.

By Dandjmom on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 02:40 pm:

I have asthma. I wans't diagnosed until the age fo 16. On my way out of town for a trip adn somethign I was around triggered an attack. My ds he has it but wasnt' diagnosed or had his first episode until he the day before his first birthday. My dd she is fine nothign worng with her dot' even get common cold( all the raw onions she liek to eat I guess), i callher my healthy child , no emergency room visits with her just regular check-ups so extra trips to the doctor's.

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 02:54 pm:

Debbie, I wasn't diagnosed until I was 44! The tight feeling in his chest and the uncontrollable coughing sure sound like it. It may be that he just has symptoms when he is sick, or during allergy season.

It took me a long time to figure out that I was having an asthma attack when I couldn't stop coughing and felt tight in the chest. I just assumed I should be hearing the wheezing, and didn't realize the coughing was a symptom.

By Trina~moderator on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 03:07 pm:

My DS developed asthma at age 6.

By Debbie on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 05:45 pm:

Thanks everyone. We just got back from the doctor. He thinks he does have asthma. The good thing is that he only gets the symptoms when he is sick and it seems to be mild.

By Kaye on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 06:00 pm:

My middle son was diagnosed at age 2. He has Reactive Airways Disease. Which means he really only has issue when he gets a cold and he is mostly mild too. One doc once told me that Asthma has become a catch all term, it can be accute (meaning a one time issue) or chronic (several issues over a long time). She went on to say that they are starting to be a bit more specific looking more on what each child's triggers are, but that some kids have one or two episodes a year and can grow out of it. I think asthma can be a scary thing, but it isn't always. Just keep an eye on him and listen to your gut. We got a peak flow meter for my son and it made a huge difference for me. I know that with healthy lungs he breathes a 350, at 80% we give meds and 50% we go see our doc. I like concrete information! Anyway, but my dd was always fine, but she was just recently at age 10 dx with asthma also, the doc said it was a reaction to a seasonal pollen here.

By Debbie on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 06:45 pm:

Kaye, your ds sounds just like mine. Ds's doctor just wasn't sure if it is colds, allergies, or a combination of both that is triggering it. Ds also has allergy problems in the Fall and Spring. They put him on Singulair and then gave us flovent to use daily at the first sign of symptoms. We are suppose to use it until he is clear of symptoms for a week. They also gave me Albuterol as needed. We have to go back in 3 months for a recheck. What does your ds take for his?

My youngest ds's asthma is triggered by allergies and his reflux. They put him on Singulair and he has been doing great. We have only had to use the Albuterol once since March, when they trialed taking him off his reflux meds. When the reflux came back, it triggered his asthma.

By Imamommyx4 on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 09:51 pm:

Middle ds had asthma from around age 2 and went away before he was 6 with never anymore symptoms.

Oldest ds started when he was 15. The school called and said he began having a hard time breathing after a girl walked in with some strong perfume. I asked them to take him across the street from the school to our dr and I'd meet them there. Oldest ds had never had problems before and has them all the time now.

Youngest ds nothing.

Youngest of all dd was diagnosed at 20 months and still has issues. Hers manifests differently than either of the boys.

Go figure!

By Pamt on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 10:19 pm:

Ditto Kaye. Oldest DS diagnosed with asthma at age 9 months. Still gets it often and guaranteed with a cold. He's on Singulair and Advair daily with albuterol inhaler and by nebulizer as needed. Youngest DS has been hospitalized with croup once at 2 yrs and had an ER visit with croup last year. He's also had pneumonia as an infant. He has been diagnosed with Reactive Airway Disease, but not asthma. He always gets wheezy and croup and/or a dry hacking asthma cough with a cold and we do albuterol breathing treatments with him as well. Colds are his only trigger, he takes no regular asthma meds, and does not have a rescue inhaler. I would go to an allergist/immunologist for a full work up and diagnosis. You want to avoid an asthma diagnosis if at all possible because it can have negative insurance consequences (particularly life insurance) later in life.

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, October 20, 2005 - 10:54 pm:

Jen was diagnosed with asthma when she was 3 or 4. BUT - it only happens when she is sick or at a particular time of year, and actually, now it only happens whn she is sick.

Oldest DS was diagnosed with asthma when he was a baby. He had quite a rough time of it while he was young. As an adult, you'd never know he was that sickly. I believe his was primarily allergy-induced. He hasn't had any asthma symptoms in many, many years.

By Debbie on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 08:46 am:

Pam and Kaye, they did actually diagnose him with Reactive Airway Disease since he only has symptoms when he has a cold/allergy flare-up. I knew he called it something specific, but I couldn't remember exactly what. So, I looked at the forms they gave me and they have Reactive Airway Disease on them. They gave him the Singulair mainly for allergies, they want him to take it in the fall and spring. He will only use the Flovent and Albuterol if/when he starts to get a cold.

By Kaye on Friday, October 21, 2005 - 11:00 am:

PAm the dx of RAD has the same life insurance issues as Asthma, they are seen as one in the same.

My son has done singulair daily, it didn't help him, he has done a handful of other things. We are supposed to be trying something new now, but i haven't started it and i don't recall the name. He uses xopenex (a "clear" form of albuterol) for flare ups. I wish we could avoid the flare ups. His doc mentioned that in sugust next year using the new preventative and see if it helps. She said that some children with RAD get on a preventative and when off don't reshow symptoms, but do seem to be more tired off meds (espcially boys who do athletics), she said I really ought to keep a daily diary so I can have a better picture of how he is doing.

By Babysitbarb on Saturday, October 22, 2005 - 05:05 pm:

I was diagnosed with asthma in my 30's. I never really had much problems with it until recently. It's gotten worse as Iv gotten older. I was able to just taken pills for it and now Im on an inhaler.