Bronchitis and strep

[james'mommy]

DS went to the doc yesterday. He's had a cough and bit of a cold since Sunday. He's asthmatic so things can go bad quickly. Dr does a strep test and it comes back negative. Sends him for an xray just to make sure it's not pneumonia. No pneumonia, no strep, just some bronchitis. Antibiotics and steriods. He's perfectly fine but he conned DH into letting him stay home. Actually he's bouncing off the walls because of the meds. Dr office just called and said btw he does have strep. Now I have to break it to DH who will probably run straight to urgent care. Why me.

 

[JUJU814]

DS went to the doc yesterday. He's had a cough and bit of a cold since Sunday. He's asthmatic so things can go bad quickly. Dr does a strep test and it comes back negative. Sends him for an xray just to make sure it's not pneumonia. No pneumonia, no strep, just some bronchitis. Antibiotics and steriods. He's perfectly fine but he conned DH into letting him stay home. Actually he's bouncing off the walls because of the meds. Dr office just called and said btw he does have strep. Now I have to break it to DH who will probably run straight to urgent care. Why me.

Well, look at it this way 1) tis the season 2) there are much worse things in life

Julie, who has bronchitis and strep right now

 

[badblackpug]

Why the urgent care? If he is on antibiotics that will cover the strep. No need for further doctors visits. Look at it this way, it's Friday, he'll only miss one day of school! (of course I don't envy you with a steroided kid in the house all weekend! )

 

[AmandaLee]

I second that...why go to Urgent care if the Dr already dignosed him with strep? I'd just have the Dr. call something in if he wanted your son to have something else?

 

[Hannathy]

May I third that? Why Urgent care? Nothing will be done except expose everyone there to his germs and expose him to many more germs, plus make the wait that much longer for everyone there.

Be assertive, don't go!!

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm 4-thing the question.

I'm also trying to figure out the steroids; I got bronchitis all the time as a kid, and we never were given steroids. Also, the ped always waited for lab results to come back to think of prescribing antibiotics, b/c inflammation of the bronchii isn't always bacterial, but in this case he got lucky that it was!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I believe OP meant her dh would be running to urgent care for himself after spending time with ds with undiagnosed strep.

 

[jas0202]

As a mother of an asthmatic kiddo, I am guessing that the steroids are needed to open up the lungs due to the bronchitis. My DD has been on them several times this winter for the same reason. Asthmatic kids go from healthy to pneumonia in no time flat, so the steroids give their lungs a boost when they are already struggling.

To the OP...sorry about the bronchitis and strep! I have one DD on Orapred steroids right now for the bronchitis and the other in on antibiotics for pneumonia and finished her orapred last week!

 

[james'mommy]

As a mother of an asthmatic kiddo, I am guessing that the steroids are needed to open up the lungs due to the bronchitis. My DD has been on them several times this winter for the same reason. Asthmatic kids go from healthy to pneumonia in no time flat, so the steroids give their lungs a boost when they are already struggling.

To the OP...sorry about the bronchitis and strep! I have one DD on Orapred steroids right now for the bronchitis and the other in on antibiotics for pneumonia and finished her orapred last week!

You are absolutly correct. He's asthmatic so we end up on end up on steriod probably twice a year. The dr asked if we wanted oral or pill form but couldn't tell me how big the pills would be. We ended up with 3 tsp of orapred a day which is a huge amount of nasty tasting stuff. According to the pharmacy the pills are disolvable. Now we know for next time.

 

[mjkacmom]

You are absolutly correct. He's asthmatic so we end up on end up on steriod probably twice a year. The dr asked if we wanted oral or pill form but couldn't tell me how big the pills would be. We ended up with 3 tsp of orapred a day which is a huge amount of nasty tasting stuff. According to the pharmacy the pills are disolvable. Now we know for next time.

Ds7 hates those pills, but our pediatrician prescribed him extra so we always have them here in an emergency (saving us visits to the ER). He actually likes the liquid better. Thanks for the reminder - he just got a cold yesterday, and I really should nebulize him, before it turns into something else.

 

[james'mommy]

I'm 4-thing the question.

I'm also trying to figure out the steroids; I got bronchitis all the time as a kid, and we never were given steroids. Also, the ped always waited for lab results to come back to think of prescribing antibiotics, b/c inflammation of the bronchii isn't always bacterial, but in this case he got lucky that it was!

There is nothing wrong with giving kids steriods. I know it sounds scary but is completely safe. I knew he needed steriods before he went to the dr. The dr said to hold off on the oral to see if the inhaled would take care of the problem. It didn't he still struggled at night with breathing problems. The dr didn't call in the antibiotics until the chest xray confirmed bronchitis (thankfully it wasn't pneumonia like she suspected). As a mom of an asthmatic you just know when they need more help. Plus I totally trust our dr, she's been voted the best ped in Charlotte.

 

[mjkacmom]

There is nothing wrong with giving kids steriods. I know it sounds scary but is completely safe. I knew he needed steriods before he went to the dr. The dr said to hold off on the oral to see if the inhaled would take care of the problem. It didn't he still struggled at night with breathing problems. The dr didn't call in the antibiotics until the chest xray confirmed bronchitis (thankfully it wasn't pneumonia like she suspected). As a mom of an asthmatic you just know when they need more help. Plus I totally trust our dr, she's been voted the best ped in Charlotte.

Steroids are a miracle for asthmatics - a child will go from gasping for a single breath, to being able to breathe normally, in a number of hours. Because of the behavior issues, I wait until I know they are needed, but wow, they work wonders!

 

[WantToGoNow]

Just so you know, Orepred comes in chewable form - that's what my ds8 prefers over the liquid. My son goes down so quickly with the slightest cold that his Pulminologist has us keep a 5 day supply on hand at all times. He takes steriods so often that I don't even notice a change in his activity level any more.

 

[Kuffam]

It's been a bad year for asthmatics. I've had a lot of trouble this year and I was doing good. Using inhaled steriods is always the best because of less side effects, oral or IV steriods tend to have more side effects because they go all over (not just to the lungs).

 

[badblackpug]

You are absolutly correct. He's asthmatic so we end up on end up on steriod probably twice a year. The dr asked if we wanted oral or pill form but couldn't tell me how big the pills would be. We ended up with 3 tsp of orapred a day which is a huge amount of nasty tasting stuff. According to the pharmacy the pills are disolvable. Now we know for next time.

Here's my orapred tip: Get the pills, crush them, and mix them with a little chocolate syrup. Much less nasty tasting than the liquid.

 

[disfan07]

Using inhaled steriods is always the best because of less side effects, oral or IV steriods tend to have more side effects because they go all over (not just to the lungs).

I agree.

Its ALWAYS better to do inhaled steroids than it is to do oral or IV steroids.
Ive had oral steroids perscribed to me when actually all i need is inhaled steroids for my nebs but doctors are very quick to presecribe oral prednisone.

Now, before anyone says anything about me not understanding anythign about prednisone, asthma, etc I just finished my5th round of oral prednisone since september for asthma and Ive been on 2 week long rounds of IV steroids since september as well. Steroids can cause high blood sugar (I have to go on insulin everytime I got on doses of prednisone or solumedrol higher than 50mg), can cause muscle problems, joint problems, teeth adn gum problems, etc. Its definitely NOT without risks BUT it is also a miracle drug. I can go from a peekflow of 150 adn O2 level of 81% to a peekflow of 300 and 02 levels in the high 80s low 90s because of 1 dose of IV solumedrol. It is miracle stuff for asthmatics but it is defintiely not without risks and not something that is considered lightly.

 

[skw444]

Sorry to hear he has bronchitis and strep. My dd is just finishing up her orapred and zithromax after being diagnosed with pneumonia (I was thinking it was strep). She has asthma too and it's been a rough winter for us.