Persistent illness - short of breath

Over the past few months there have been at least 4 occasions where my 21 month old son has been sick. It starts with a runny nose, coughing then difficulty breathing. It usually last 1-2 weeks, he is well for 1-2 weeks then starts again.

He has been to the docs several times - predi mix and venotlin are usually what he has. These help pretty quickly though the last time he was sick he had to have 6 days of predi because he was quite severe.

Last night without much warning (of runny nose or coughing) my son had he usual case of not being able to breath properly - he seems to find it very difficult to breath and he breathes very very quickly. There is no wheeze but his heart feels like it's going to jump out of him. After a dose of predi and 4 puffs of ventolin he calms down after about 1-2 hours.

Does anyone have any knowledge of this or experience of ths with their own kids? My DH and I are both asthmatic so it's likely he will have that but because there is no wheeze and he is young it is not the current diagnosis. He seems happy enough during the day but when he is tired or been running around a lot this rapid/crazy breathing starts again.

I am worried but each time we take him to docs they just tell us to do what we are already doing. Any ideas woulb be much appreciated!

This sounds exactly what my DD went through last year. I was at the Dr's constantly but they just put it down to asthma and she was on a preventer, reliever and the predimix. In the colder weather & particulalry if she has been running around alot, she starts coughing and then it begins. I have no other suggestions other than keep doing what you are doing but perhaps look at a getting a preventer to get on top of it before it becomes full blown.

Is it broncilitis (sp?) do you think?

Did he have a temp last night when his heart was racing? It is normal for small children to have a racing heart when they have a temp.

Other than that, I have no idea.

I hope you get some answers. It sounds pretty scary :hug:

I hope your DS is doing OK, that must be so scary :hug:.

I have just moved this thread to the Baby and Toddler general discussion forum, hopefully you will get more responses in here :)