Singulair & Pulmicort for children

[Belle72]

My 5 yr old dd was just diagnosed w/ asthma. She is now on singulair and pulmicort. Her meds may be reduced as they reevaluate over time. How have your experiences been with these medications-good or bad? Side effects and any other helpful information is appreciated.

 

[SandrainNC]

I have no experience with Singulair, but my oldest was in Pulmicort from around the age of 1 until he was 6.5 (this past summer). We are trying to see if he can do without it now. He was also on Xopenex, mostly when he was sick. So far so good. I don't think there were any adverse effects at all. He did really well on the medications and they helped him so much. He has not been diagnosed with asthma, but "asthma like symptoms (especially when he is sick) because he has small airways because of his Down syndrome". The older he has gotten, the less he has needed them since his airways are growing. They had told us he would either develop asthma one day or the problem would go away.

Anyway, no side effects that I have seen from the Pulmicort.

Sandra

 

[Bugsmom73]

DH has been on both of these drugs for over 10 years. NO problems, he is down to one puff of pulmicort twice a day and singulair, except when sick.

 

[MarieS]

My son has been on Pulmicort for several years and hasn't had any problems.
I don't have any personal experience with Singulair, but a friend of mine has bad asthma and told me since she started Singulair she hardly ever uses her rescue inhaler.

 

[Belle72]

Thank you very much for your responses. Asthma and the medications are new to me. It seems like a lot of medication for a little one and I am very worried about side effects. She was hospitalized for a few days after catching a virus the first week of October and it has really shaken me up. I am usually pretty strong- or so I thought- but seeing her struggle to breathe scared me and the feeling of helplessness and worry is still here. I don't want a recurrence and understand the need for meds but need reassurance that others had found them helpful and safe. Thank you again for taking the time to post.

 

[kimsuenew]

My son has been on Singulair for several years. He is 16 and started with the kids dose and then was switched to the adult dose. He has never had a problem and honestly, it has been a Godsend. He can breathe, does not have a year round cough anymore, no pneumonia since and very rarely has bronchitus. He does have a PRN inhaler, but it is Albuterol. I hope your child does well!

 

[Poppinsme]

I'm a Registered Respiratory Therapist who's specialty is NICU/PICU.
I take care of children.
And I have Asthma.
The newest treatment to come out is Advair once a day or Flovent.
And for mild Asthma, nothing. Use steroids or bronchodilators as needed in mild Asthma. These are the latest results. The less steroids you use the better because prolonged steroid use is very bad for the body and organs.
I take Advair for maintenance, or seasonally.
Never had a problem with this drug.
And Ive had less and less Asthma attacks.
I try very hard to not take to much steroid. But sometimes you have to use them. Salumedrol is my friend.
Never, never take a chance. If your DD needs a treatment DO not hesitate to give it. How many children have I taken care of in ER because the parents didn't think it was that serious, it is nothing to screw around with.
Just remember Pulmicort is a steroid and be careful.
Singulair is good for hay fever/allergies.

 

[MandM-Mom]

My youngest DD has used pulmocort since she was 6 months old, she is 15 months old now, before we went on the pulmicort we had been hospitalized on several occasions for respitory illnesses, we have had very good luck since then and have yet to have to be admitted since then. She takes 1 rapsule 2 X daily and albuterol through the neb as needed. I hope it works well for your child, asthma can be scarry!

 

[PolynesianPixie]

My DH and DD6 both have asthma. It's scary stuff, especially for a mom who doesn't fully understand the disease from a personal standpoint. We've used Albuteral, Xopenex and pulmicort for our DD. I have heard that the steriods can stunt growth, but in our family of shorties, DD6 is quite tall. My sis, who gives her son Pulmicort, says it makes him hyper. I haven't seen that with my daughter. We don't use it constantly. More on an as needed bases. I don't like meds in general. However, this is my baby's life and I won't mess around! She mostly needs it when she gets a chest cold. DD11 was diagnosed with it at 17 months and was hospitalized for a few days. Now we've been told that she has grown out of it. I wish you the best. My DH has lived with it his whole life and it doesn't get him down. If anything, it makes him strive to do even more!


DH

DD11

DD8

DD6

ME

 

[Daydreamer64]

All of my boys are asthmatic- so is Mom. We've been on singular ( not the baby ) and pulmicort for all three of the boys and I don't see much difference with the pulmicort, however, I myself felt and saw a major difference when we added the singular to the mix- both boys are big and healthy and the baby is thriving, so I say- no worries for you! Asthma is frightening but is usually a managable disease if you pay attention to the kids. You will soon find what sets your child's asthma off and start avoiding that- for example - one big no no for us is jumping in leaves or rolling on the ground- things that boys love to do! Either of these will set the kids off and we end up in the ER for help- HTH Good Luck!

 

[Belle72]

Thank you all so much. I think she is "set off" by viral respiratory illnesses. She hasn't tested + for any fall seasonal allergies, but has a dust mite allergy.

I am also afraid of the meds. and want the lowest effective dose for her. How do you figure that out? How do you know if she would be ok with just the singulair or just the pulmicort- or is it not worth the risk and just keep her on all the meds. I don't revisit the issue w/ the asthma/allergy guy until January but may want to see aboutlessening the meds before then. My dd5 seems a little more easily fatigued on the meds. But then compared to not breathing right it might be a fair trade off.

Thanks again for all of you who took your time to respond- it is very kind.