Exercise-induced Asthma?

I have asthma, and that is what I do. I have learned not to panic, and can usually get a grip on it before it gets out of hand. I would have rescue inhalers available wherever you take him and one to keep at daycare too. Just in case.

Reactive airways is different than either exercise- or cold-induced asthma. There are tests for both of those -- my son, who definitely has RA, does not get asthma from either exercise or cold as demonstrated by those tests.

However, pollen lately has been through the roof, and it's out there even on cold days. So if your observations have been in the last few weeks, you may be seeing the effects of pollen (which will trigger RA) rather than cold or exercise.

My daughter (12) has allergy and cold(weather & the illness) induced asthma. It may go hand in hand for your son like my daughter. Just watch and use the inhaler if needed before exercise in cool, wet weather -- my daughter had to do that for a year in school to play at recess or do gym outdoors in that weather. If she didn't she had asthma attacks but doing the inhaler before activity made a difference.
I'd ask the Dr but try the inhaler before activity and watch how he does when teh weather wamrs up and dries out. Hope this helps!!

Talk to your ped. pulmonologist about all of this, and he/she can give you a specific plan or maybe readjust the meds. I have one son with cough-type asthma and one son with a history of reactive airways. It does sound like your son is having some kind of asthma or reactive airways incident, but your pulmonologist is your best resource and can tell you what is going on and how to respond. They should be periodically revising his plan anyhow. Our plan and meds change with the seasons. If you have any concerns about your current pediatric pulmonologist, I can recommend an excellent one in Minneapolis. Also, might not be a bad idea to check with his allergist. Pollen levels have been really bad in the Twin Cities this year. My younger son who never had allergy issues is having problems for the first time in his 10 years. Good luck.

Yes....

Make sure, you use the inhalers... this is a time to use it.

I have asthma. Since childhood. Yes, certain activities does exacerbate it AND cold weather... cold weather is harsh on asthma.

Let him rest.
Notice his pulse. Notice his breathing... is it fast? Shallow? Deep or labored? Is his skin/fingertips blue? (this would indicate inadequate oxygen in his bloodstream)... does he get labored breathing even walking normally in the house? Or in walking just 10 feet in distance? All of these, indicates a NEED to treat him with his meds. Almost always, Asthmatics have 2 inhalers: a "rescue" quick acting inhaler, and another for daily maintenance which is therapeutic for the lungs and functioning.

Yes, cold weather, constricts the lungs... and thus, makes an asthmatic "cough" and/or wheeze. It is the lungs laboring. Coughing, serves to make the person "breathe" and take a breath, as well.

If he gets worse, you take him to the ER.

Asthma, is a serious condition, and can be fatal. During an acute episode, it means the body is NOT getting adequate oxygen levels in their lungs/bloodstream and this in turn stresses the heart... and which struggling for breath, also stresses the heart.
What does asthma feel like? It feels like suffocating. There have been times where even walking to the kitchen, makes me so out of breath, that I have to sit down, and meanwhile my lungs are laboring for a breath and my heart is pounding because of the energy it takes, just to take a breath.

Learn all you can, about Asthma. Make sure he sees an Asthma specialist. Not just a general doctor. AND make sure it is either "Asthma" or RAD.
Here is a link for you:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Respiratory-Disorders/Asthma...
http://pediatrics.about.com/od/pediatricsglossary/g/0307_...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/reactive-airway-disease/...

all the best,
Susan

I have exercise-induced asthma and also asthma that flares from cold weather (rain, cold, eating/drinking something cold). I've had it since little on. Only after having my daughter did I have to go on meds (Advair, lowest dose), and just a year ago, my Allergist gave me Albuterol in case I needed it.

Actually, two years ago my family went organic, and I've been seeing a Naturopathic Doctor since Aug 2009 for moderate Adrenal Fatigue and some severe nutritional deficiencies. Since I've started doctoring with the ND, I went OFF my Advair the beginning of April, and I've never touched the Albuterol. In fact, my "asthma" has been the best-controlled it's ever been. I'm hoping that holds true for the cold winter months; we'll see when fall/winter comes this year.

For me, it's knowing the weather and what triggers my asthma/wheezing/coughing. I can also trigger it if I do a lot of laughing. The triggers are different for every person. I make myself a raw vege/fruit drink once or twice a week in my VitaMixer. Sometimes, I can drink down the entire concoction and not have any problems; other times (esp if the day is cooler) I can drink the mix down and have a bit of coughing and wheezing. It usually goes away within half an hour/an hour.

My ND has given me something called Children's D-Histimine chewables. I got them for my daughter, who suffers from grass pollen allergy, because I didn't want her to constantly squeeze pharma drugs up her nose. They work wonderfully for her; in fact, my husband and I have also taken them and they work well for us as well. They are not pharma drugs, but herbal. They help stop a coldness or exercise-induced asthma attack for me. I love them!

I have never had hardly any problems with my type of asthma, although I'm sure that's different for every person. For me, it was more of a nuisance thing than anything.

*****I also want to add that if a person is severely dehydrated (i.e., doesn't drink enough water during the day/every day) that that plays into having asthma. I have upped my daily water consumption by A TON and that also has helped me in that I've been able to get off the pharma meds.

Just a thought, if anyone would like to do things differently than using pharma drugs.

ok for cold induced asthma which I am it helps to cover your throat when you are out. if he starts coughing have him take his inhaler. but continue to let him play do not make him set out. 2 reasons the inhaler controls the asthma attack and the exercise increases his lung capacity. When I first started martial arts I had that problem the longer I was in martial arts the less I had to take my inhaler. Is he on a long term inhaler if not check into it and get him one. Also check into getting him an allergy medication.

He may also have mold allergies which flair up when it rains. so this may be why you noticed it on a rainy day. exercise induced asthma will wind you out but if he has to many problems breathing he will stop on his own its a bodys way of protecting itself. Excercise induced asthma will wind you but I control mine more by paying attention to how I breath. you breath in deep and blow out slow. like blowing air through a straw. Teach him this it will help to a degree. but other than that stop hm long enough to take his inhaler and let him go back to what he was doing. It will slow down after time because his lungs will become stronger over time doing this.

it is probably excercise induced. talk to doctor about long term inhalers and allergy medications incase he is mold induced asthmatic. Tell doctor what you have told us. stop him let him take his inhaler and get back to being a kid. trust me his body will tell him when to stop. don't worry to much and remeber this is making his lungs stronger which means over time less medication to control it. Your treating him properly and this kind of expected for asthmatics.

I have asthma and two of my triggers are excercise and changes in humidity. My mom has told me how she used to just come sit at the foot of my bed with my inhaler if it started raining in the night, because she knew I'd be waking up shortly with an attack. So it could be the excercise or the wet day, or both. The way we identified the humidity for mine was when my doctor told my mom to put a humidifier in my room. I guess that helps a lot of asthmatics (or that was a theory back then, I don't know.) As soon as she did that, my attacks got much much worse. She figured out what it was eventually, and stopped using it. Now I am very careful to have my inhaler with me if the weather is going to change. I also have to be careful of using the humidifier in my son's room for stuffy noses. I only use it when absolutely necessary, because I can't spend any length of time in there if it is on. I have no idea about the reactive airway disease, but it is worth mentioning his symptoms to his doctors and getting their opinions.

Is he on a daily preventative medicine for this asthma? If not, he probably should be. My son has asthma and he takes Advair daily to help prevent episodes. Then he's got albuterol to take if he starts coughing, and Flovent to take for a week if he's really having trouble.