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What Causes Cough And Breathing Difficulty While Suffering From Asthma?
My granddaughter has asthma. Earlier in the evening she has developed a cough and having trouble breathing, so she took a montelukast sod 5 mg. She continues to cough with breathing problems. Can she use her inhaler (flutiasone propionate 44 mcg) with the above noted medication to relieve her breathing problem due to asthma?
Mon, 5 Nov 2018
Hi,
There are two main classes of medications that are used to treat asthma. One class is known as controller medicines and this class includes Fluticasone (given by inhaler) and Montelukast (which is in pill form.)
This class of meds reduces inflammation (white blood cells, mucus, red blood cells) within the bronchial tubes of the lungs. The other class of asthma meds are bronchodilators which are known as rescue medications include albuterol (given by inhaler.)
Rescue meds act immediately to open that narrowed bronchial tubes so the patient can breathe easier. The controller meds are taken every day to prevent inflammation from returning. Rescue meds are taken as needed when there is an acute asthma attack to enable the patient to breathe easier immediately. They are usually taken until the wheezing goes away. While controller meds are continued. And the two controller meds are continued after the albuterol is stopped.
How old is your grandchild? It is important that the patient use the Inhaler properly so the medicine gets into her lungs. Usually, children less than6-7 years old will get more medicine into their lungs if they use their Inhaler with a Spacer.
I wish I could ask you how much breathing difficulty she is having. If she is coughing continuously, is speaking in a soft voice, or cannot speak at all, breathes fast or with the skin between her ribs caving in, or has any sign of blueness around mouth, fingernails, or elsewhere, then you must take her to the nearest ER or call 911.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Arnold Zedd,
Pediatrician
There are two main classes of medications that are used to treat asthma. One class is known as controller medicines and this class includes Fluticasone (given by inhaler) and Montelukast (which is in pill form.)
This class of meds reduces inflammation (white blood cells, mucus, red blood cells) within the bronchial tubes of the lungs. The other class of asthma meds are bronchodilators which are known as rescue medications include albuterol (given by inhaler.)
Rescue meds act immediately to open that narrowed bronchial tubes so the patient can breathe easier. The controller meds are taken every day to prevent inflammation from returning. Rescue meds are taken as needed when there is an acute asthma attack to enable the patient to breathe easier immediately. They are usually taken until the wheezing goes away. While controller meds are continued. And the two controller meds are continued after the albuterol is stopped.
How old is your grandchild? It is important that the patient use the Inhaler properly so the medicine gets into her lungs. Usually, children less than6-7 years old will get more medicine into their lungs if they use their Inhaler with a Spacer.
I wish I could ask you how much breathing difficulty she is having. If she is coughing continuously, is speaking in a soft voice, or cannot speak at all, breathes fast or with the skin between her ribs caving in, or has any sign of blueness around mouth, fingernails, or elsewhere, then you must take her to the nearest ER or call 911.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Arnold Zedd,
Pediatrician
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