[nippa&pippa]

My 7months old baby have been unsettling for last three nights at same time as cold spells started, I thought he might be teething till I just mentioned to my sister in UK about his symptoms plus he had breathing difficulties at 2am this morning, suggesting it is asthma rather than teething :o (he already diagnosed with asthma at 3 months old :wah )
The problem is as my neice also got asthma (end up in hospital every month) my sister gave me tips but it sound like more suit UK's. Like don't have condensation in house! how I can do that??!
So thought asking you in NZ, what your tip for controlling asthma at nights in kiwi way ;) ?
thanks

[slider]

Asthma's no fun, especially for little ones.:(
To reduce condensation one option would be to keep the heating on and windows open - but not very economical.
Another option would be to purchase a dehumidifier. Had to do this in the UK when moving into a house that had stood empty for a while. In the long run this would be the cheaper option especially through the winter months.

[JandM]

The house we rented privately (like a house-sit) last year had dehumidifiers in the bedrooms as standard. The advice from the owners was to run them and an oil-filled radiator for 45 minutes before going to bed, and that certainly made a difference to our comfort. The dehumidifier needed to be emptied every three or four days.

[nippa&pippa]

Has anyone had experiences/recommenation, a small dehumidifier that are not noisy and small for a bedroom that suit for people with asthma without taking chunk of our budget :o . I remember there was a product like that in UK but not see it in NZ or more of, not notice it because I haven't look out for it?

[StevieD]

I have just bought a small dehumidifier for under $200, brilliant!! It only has 10L capacity but you just empty it out more often. Not the quietest of things at the best of times but it really does make a difference. We leave it outside the bathroom in the evening and on low overnight. Works wonders for us up to now as far as moisture is concerned.

Don't envy you at all, but good luck.

[nippa&pippa]

Thanks. Anything else that I can help him at night?

[Tia Maria]

The house we rented privately (like a house-sit) last year had dehumidifiers in the bedrooms as standard. The advice from the owners was to run them and an oil-filled radiator for 45 minutes before going to bed, and that certainly made a difference to our comfort. The dehumidifier needed to be emptied every three or four days.

Just wanted to agree with the oil filled rad & dehumidifier option. At the moment we do this for 30 minutes before the kids go to bed, as it gets colder, we will do it for a spell in the middle of the night, and in the morning also.

My kids don't suffer from asthma but I know of several that have developed it when they came to NZ, so for us its a worthwhile precaution despite the higher electric bills! Also babies will wake if they are cold in the middle of the night and will need heating even when others don't.

Have you tried propping up the mattress? It might help if he's having trouble breathing through his nose or if teething is causing extra dribbling. I just put a towel under the mattress to a comfortable height.

Might be some useful info on here:

www.asthma-nz.org.nz

www.asthmanz.co.nz

Cheers

Tia

[shakyle2906]

Hi Sophia

I work at the Respiratory (dealing with people with breathing probs, asthma, and 'nasties' ) Outpatients at our local Hospital.

I dont know too much about asthma, but will make some enquiries when i go in tomorrow with our nurses and get some advise for you.

We deal with people having asthma on a daily basis.

Hope this may be some help to you.

Sharon
x

[willow]

Hi

I am a specialist nurse for children birth to 5 and work a lot with asthmatics.

Sometimes no matter what you do an asthma attack comes on. i have a family that i work with who moved their tumble drier into the kids bedroom during building work (it was in the bathroom). Their two severe asthmatics stopped having asthma attacks and she could only put it down to the humidity from the tumble drier! I would tend to think a drier atmosphere eg central heating on would dry out the air passages.

on a different note. the current advise re asthma and allergies in babies is for all babies who are to be formula fed and if there is a history of astma or allergies in the family to have partially hydrolysed formula (all the major brands do them - one is "COMFORT". if it is bad a fully hydrolysed formula is prescribed by the gp. partially hydrolysed formula is available easily in the uk in chemists supermarkets etc. these formulas have had the allergy inducing milk proteins partially or fully removed/altered. All new parents should be asked if there are allergies in the family at birth,but we are finding it never happens. you can start your baby(if it is bottle fed) on partially hydrolysed formula anytime - we have good results with it eg. kids less weezy and asthma attacks reduce.

if baby having trouble at all always see gp or nz equivalent of a health visitor (?plunket nurse).

hope this helps

[Familyofmonkeys]

Apart from the dehumidifiers (we got on in Mitre 10 last winter...was cheaper than Warehouse) and heater (we have small halogen heater as cheaper to run than oil filled) there are a few other tips you can try.

Soft furnishings in bedrooms can absorb moisture and trap dust e.g. heavy curtains, carpets, cushions, soft toys etc. If you remove as many as possible in babies room, dehumidifier will be able to keep air dryer, and this removes possible places where mould spores can grow (which is one of the biggest asthma triggers) and where dust can build up. Although heavy curtains are good for insulation, they can also hold alot of moisture and spores, so blinds are often a better option for asthma suffers.

Also anti allergy mattress protectors for cot can be useful to prevent the mattress from getting damp and spores growing, but definitely get a decent quality one for safety reasons....some of the larger baby shops sell them or mothercare in UK used to sell them...they might still do some. We have coolmax ones for our kids as they stop moisture build up in mattress but allow air to circulate too (none of kids are asthmatic yet....but we took precautions as very high risk due to family history and suffering reflux increases risk alot too).

Opposite problem to UK where central heating makes air too dry and this can set off my asthma too if room not well ventilated :wah

[thejoz]

We have a child with asthma too (now 5), We've had alot of contridicting advice over the years and we're told that everyones asthma is different but here's what we do whenever she has any problems:
*Clean all bedding, curtains and soft toys at a high temperature.
*Use anti-allegen mattress and pillow covers.
*Clean entire bedroom with baby wipes or damp cloth/tissues (to collect dust).
*Prop her up in bed a little.
*Before bedtime make the bedroom Humid (NOT DRY!) using wet towels on radiators and give a good blast of steam from the kettle, also keep window open a little. We also put a little hot water in bath (next room) leaving doors open a bit.
*Use some vicks (a little) in the bedroom.
*Increase medicine dose (Consult GP!) We've had contradicting and confusing advice on this from different Doctors and nurses, tricky one.

I know that a damp room increases the ability of mould spores to grow and that dust mites love a damp enviroment too, but damp air eleviates the symptoms (enabling more oxygen to be taken in soothing the tickly aspect).

So we clean the room and bedding often and when the bedroom is not in use heat, heat, heat, dustmites can't reproduce well in a dry enviroment. We also only vacuum when kids are out and windows are open and we never hoover upstairs (we don't have carpets in our house, except for a rug in the living room that can be beaten outside). I've heard you can buy special hoovers with a fine particles filter and have seen other people that attach a tube to the outlet vent on their hoover and pass it out of a window whilst vacuuming, sending all the fine dust out (never got around to it ourselves but would have if our childs symtoms hadn't improved, which after doing all these things regularly they have).

We also kept our daughter away from smoke, cats (and other animals) and even cooking fumes (oily things in the oven for instance).

The other point I would make is to stay calm yourself and know that you are doing everything you can, obviously keeping a good eye on the situation (take turns at night when she's bad) and always ready to (calmly) go the hospital. Trust your own instincts and be firmly vocal with the hospital staff if neccessary.

Hope that helps, it seems to have worked for us.

[willow]

i have to agree with advice from Joz. generally parents with children who are asthmatic are the best source of information, more so than many medical professionals!
All of the things suggested are spot on and i particularly agree with the moist air in a room rather than dehumidifying. but, mould spores can be problematic also.

just a thought, sometimes i find asthma is worse when a child is say teething and parents give analgesics to help. ibubrofen (nurofen) should not be given to asthmatics and we find at work it is quite often it has been used. Also, i can't reiterate enough about smoke near asthmatics.

Could it be croup as that mostly occurs in middle of night. if it is then steam, eg cool bathroom with hot shower running and doors and windows closed helps almost instantly if you can generate enough steam.

hope things improve.

[nippa&pippa]

Thank you very much for so much informations! :clap
His asthma attacks have been under control since december apart from moments with food allergy reactions three time that end up having breathing problems for up to 2 weeks after reactions. But this time, there was no allergy reactions to food, so I was bit struggling to find the triggers, never thought about temp changes till spoken to my sister but still early days. I will sort & improve his room when i get back from Auckland...yes he got lots of fuffy toys in bedroom belong to his brother as they share the room :o My OH just been to see him, and for first time in few days (despite had to used inhaler twice earlier in the evening) he sound very quiet and calm, not rattling or wheezing, in the cot that are raised for him with dehumidifier set up to switch on if room get "damp"....finger crossed for good night this time for him and me.
Thanks again.

[thejoz]

Yes, good point about the ibuprofen! Forgot to mention that.

Yes the change in temperature could be a factor, if my daughter goes from a warm room out into the cold it usually affects her, we encourage her at school playtimes for instance to wrap a scarf over her mouth when she first goes out.

Just to confirm what I meant about the damp, yes do use a de-humidifier and heater when he's not in the room. Remember that its usually mould spores and dust mite feaces that cause the reaction. We try to minimise any dust in the house but it's mainly the bed that dust mites like, sweat, saliva and skin particles are the perfect enviroment for them. Ruin their habitat and they can't reproduce effectively.

All the best!

[slider]

Yes, good point about the ibuprofen! Forgot to mention that.

Yes the change in temperature could be a factor, if my daughter goes from a warm room out into the cold it usually affects her, we encourage her at school playtimes for instance to wrap a scarf over her mouth when she first goes out.

Just to confirm what I meant about the damp, yes do use a de-humidifier and heater when he's not in the room. Remember that its usually mould spores and dust mite feaces that cause the reaction. We try to minimise any dust in the house but it's mainly the bed that dust mites like, sweat, saliva and skin particles are the perfect enviroment for them. Ruin their habitat and they can't reproduce effectively.
All the best!

Remembered this news item from the BBC website. Sounds like the perfect excuse not to make the bed of a morning :exit

[thejoz]

Asthma is such a tricky condition, the experts are still (trying) to understand it. You say he had reactions to food before (I'm assuming he had other symptoms aswell, skin?) so why are you sure it isn't again? He may not have had the skin reaction this time but still got the asthma. My instincts on this though are that its dust mites, but as I say it's hard to know.

Another point, some people put the fluffy toys in the freezer (kills dust mites) for a good few hours and then straight into a hot wash.

One more thing, you say he has an older brother, does he by any chance enjoy bouncing on his bed just before bedtime? Yet another thing to consider.

[Familyofmonkeys]

As lots of comments about both dry and moist air, just wanted to add that warm moist air can be very good for relieving asthma sypmtoms. But it is still important to get room good and dry as NZ houses (i.e. no central heating and very often no double glazing either) often have cold damp air and condensation in them..... which is not good for asthma at all. So best to get room good and dry so you can efficiently heat air nice and warm and then add source of moist air at bedtime (as thejoz said). Important to maintain the air temp during the night too otherwise any mositure you add will just end up as condensation.

Another thing...it is best to avoid air fresheners and spray deodorants/perfumes etc in house completely as they are another big asthma trigger and the particles tend to remain in the air longer indoors during cold weather when we don't ventilate houses as much. And things like spray polish etc are best only used (if at all) on days when you get get the windows wide open to ventilate at the same time.

[Tia Maria]

Yep, the dampness in NZ houses is often at a level where mould will grow on curtains, things left under beds, cuddly toys (especially if they are dribbled on) etc etc. This is due to a combination of climate and 'unhealthy houses'. Dehumidifiers are a 'must have' for most households if you don't want things to go mouldy and have the associated health risks. People will probably have to adjust how they prepare rooms for asthmatic children compared to what they did previously in some other countries.

I'd also advise not using the wall gas heaters as many are not flued. We have 2 in our hallway which we have stopped using, (we use oil filled rads now), as the condensation/dampness was awful. We hadn't realised it was them till a friend pointed it out and we did an experiment of not using them. We only use them now if there is a power cut!

Hope he had a good night sleep!

Cheers

Tia

[thejoz]

Blimey, can't believe I forgot to mention about air fresheners etc!!!
A definate no no.

[Kate D]

I've been asthmatic all my life, and damp, cold air has always been a trigger for me. The difference when I lived in central Europe's cold but dry climate was huge. I know this isn't to everyone's taste but central heating is a non negotiable for me now! I appear to have been very fortunate in my rental in Wellington with both double glazing and central heating. I know it won't be cheap to run, but if asthma kicks in, it affects my ability to do all the fun outdoorsy stuff that I came out here to do. So, I've decided my health justifies a substantial chunk of my income. And so far, not a hint of a wheeze. I really sympathise with people who can't make that choice - I know my parents coudn't when I was younger.

Oh yeah, I'm also a bear with a sore head when I'm cold. Best for everyone around me that I have central heating:-)

[nippa&pippa]

hiya here i am in auckland at moment, just borrow my sister's computer.
My baby's breathing got worse and end up using inhaler more, so took him to dr to see if there was underlying problem behind his asthma before i catched the flight. Turn out he also got bronchitis at the moment :wah

My plan on return back to chch is to improve children's room with all of your advices to prevent baby's asthma get worse and to prevent other two developing it :nice1
Thank you again for your help

[thezorbster]

I very rarely suffer from asthma - normally just during hayfever season, but during our recce last year we had 2 nights in Auckland and it was absolutely awful - I hardly slept at all my breathing was so bad. Must be something in the air there. Hope baby doesn't suffer too badly Sophia and the changes you are going to make help out.

[nippa&pippa]

No change to his condition during stays in Auckland, either dr misdiagnosed of bronchitis or medication giving by Dr for bronchitis is not working, so off to my sister's Dr tomorrow as he struggling to eat his dinner tonight. Accord to my sister, her Dr is fantastic (!!!!!) so hope she will help us out....

[shakyle2906]

No change to his condition during stays in Auckland, either dr misdiagnosed of bronchitis or medication giving by Dr for bronchitis is not working, so off to my sister's Dr tomorrow as he struggling to eat his dinner tonight. Accord to my sister, her Dr is fantastic (!!!!!) so hope she will help us out....

Hope he gets better soon!!

hugs xxxxx

Sharon
x

[Kerry and David]

Hi Sophia,

My little lad has Asthma - has been on becotide and ventolin and a nebuliser from an early age he is 3.5 now. We have been through the mill with it and have had some terrible times, however it looks like he is beginning to grow out of it now - which can sometimes happen. So although I don't have any additional suggestions just wanted to say it could get better. Will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Kerry x

P.S Just one additional thought I did some charity work for Asthma U.K last year - they offer support helplines and an advice from dedicated Asthma nurses. Is there anything like that in NZ? - sometimes I have used this service for support and extra ideas on how to help my son.

[Georgebulldog]

http://www.asthmanz.co.nz/healthy_homes.php

This has some useful information on, I think I'll be reading it as a precaution, interesting about what temperature a room should be as my daughters was dropping to 16 the other night & although (touch wood) she's not a sufferer it does run in my family so will take every step to keep it at bay

[thejoz]

Thankyou Lindsey, I found the infomation on that website very interesting. I've never for instance considered the cold air to be such a potential factor in my childs Asthma.

More info is never too much info.

[nippa&pippa]

Saw my sister's GP yesterday and turn out he got bronchitis ok but she couldn't believe it that my dr didn't give my baby a treatment of anitbiotic on monday..and since he took antibiotic, he is recovering very quickly like different child overnight with his breathing become less stressful, phew.

[Familyofmonkeys]

Saw my sister's GP yesterday and turn out he got bronchitis ok but she couldn't believe it that my dr didn't give my baby a treatment of anitbiotic on monday..and since he took antibiotic, he is recovering very quickly like different child overnight with his breathing become less stressful, phew.

That is good news :)

[thejoz]

Great news! :clap Well done for persisting in your search for info/advice and getting the help he needed so much! Now its time after all that stress, to be proud of yourselves. :nice1