Pediatrician or Asthma Doc?
Son #2 is sick again, it started over the weekend of course. Sore throat, stomach problems, headache and a lovely cough. So, I have him check his peak flow number (little tube you blow into and it measures your lung capacity) His normal is around 350, he was down to 270. It's a big drop for most people, but normal for him when he gets sick.
So, out comes the Xopenex to start breathing treatments with the nebulizer. But then I wonder, is it just a respiratory infection, or is it strep?
Asthma Doc doesn't swab for strep, but he knows Son #2 like one of his own kids, we are in there so often and he has been his doctor for 11 years now. Hhmm. What to do.....
I decided to go to the pediatrician for a quick throat swab. It isn't the pediatrican we normally see, and this doctor didn't seem to read his chart. I made sure I brought up the fact that he has asthma. He seemed a unfazed, the other pediatrician will be very cautious and says "I know what he does! He's not like most kids who have asthma"
This pediatrican casually asked Son #2, "so you have asthma, huh?" Uh, yeah. I'll say. It doesn't worry me as much now that he gets Xopenex injections. I would normally be very worried about him ending up in the hospital. In addition to the throat swab, I just wanted to make sure his lungs sounded okay. Usually crackling sounds mean pneumonia, and the sound of a balloon rubbing together means bronchitis.
But, good news. His lungs sound good, and no strep. After 12 hospitalizations for the kids, I would rather head to the Doc and make sure they're okay, rather than wait too long and end up in the ER. So, another bout of illness- I'm still watching him to make sure he doesn't get any worse. I'll just keep my fingers crossed and keep doing treatments. Fun times!