Cough, Cough, Sick again!

Isobel has had a terrible chesty cough on and off for the last few months. After seeing many doctors all who told us she was fine, and that it was the result of starting nursery, we figured we just had to battle through. During really bad periods it kept her awake during the night and it sounded as if she was ready to cough up a lung. I think someone smoking 60 fags a day wouldn’t sound as bad.

After visiting Ireland last weekend both my mum and sister commented on how bad it sounded. I explained all the different ways we had tried to get her help and the answers we were given. My sister was adamant it sounded like a chest infection and that she would need antibiotics as Isobel had such a wheeze in her chest, having experienced something similar with her own little boy.

So once we got back to London mum guilt set in, and as I had to go to work, my hubby brought Isobel to the hospital to get her checked. I left him with a long list of all her symptoms and the fact my sister and grandfather both had asthma. After many hours later and a chest x-ray they found out her chest was clear, but her bronchilloi were potentially blocked. They gave us an inhaler to use for two weeks and some medication to help clear this blockage. They suspect an allergy is causing the cough and some slight rash on her chin but will not do a test for another 2 weeks when we go back for a check up. I have stop using cow’s milk for now and switched to goat’s milk to see if this helps. There is cow’s milk allergy in our family so at the moment this is my only suspicion.

The inhaler has to be used with an aero chamber aka “torture device” for babies, making it near impossible to actually give her the inhaler. It results in a massive tantrum with 2 of us trying to hold her down as we struggle to administrate 6 puffs 4 times a day. I am really hoping this is not a permanent solution as I really cannot bear to see her so upset. I have even tried some really fun ways to give her the inhaler, such as using it on mommy first then her little doll, then Isobel. It worked well for the first few days until she realised what was happening and the inhaler took a few knocks as Isobel snatched it out of my hands and flung it the floor. She is definitely well able to make her point understood, loud and clear!

I would be really interested to hear if anyone has been through anything similar with allergies and if they could share any advice?

Torture device

Mouth piece

Little Dolly