Viral induced asthma and climate - Asthma Message Board

hollymaya · 11-10-2005, 03:10 PM

Hi,
We are new to this board. Our 3.5 yr old daughter has just been diagnosed with viral induced asthma. Last year was spent fighting endless colds and terrible coughs but no definitive diagnosis. This year after three acute incidences (coughing all day and night, wheezing, general misery for all, but especially for her) we were finally diagnosed with asthma caused by viruses.

Our daughter has food allergies, as well as possible environmental allergies (skin tests have been done) but the Pediatric Pulmonologist didn't think at her age and with her history the asthma was caused by the allergies.
The asthmatic symptoms don't correlate well with the potential allergens.
In between incidences of actual asthmatic flare-ups, she is consistently congested and has a cough at least every morning. We have not been congestion free or cough free since the end of August.

We have been wondering about the effect of climate on this problem. We live in Portland Or where it is damp and cool about 9 months of the year. Our feeling is, substantiated by the Naturopath/Chinese medicine doctor we saw, (but repudiated by the MD's) that this type of climate could not be good for someone who is congested all the time, and who is trying to continuously fight off potentially dangerous respiratory illnesses. Last year I think she had a cold maybe 10 times, and was continually congested from Mar-Jun. This year the continual congestion started in August and we have had no reprieve. We have been given several meds to use, which we will when we have to, but would like to do whatever we can to eliminate the need for meds, including moving.

Any suggestions? Anybody in San Diego have any insights, as that was the climate we have considered trying due to its mildness. Anybody try San Diego? We are hesitant with Az. since she has eczema and her skin is irritated if it is too dry.
Anybody have luck with changes in diet?

Thanks for anybody who responds. We are really frustrated, as I am sure you all have been or still are!

Holly

Midget · 11-10-2005, 08:17 PM

Have you guys looked to East/Central Oregon? It's dryer, although colder in the winter and hotter in the summer.

hollymaya · 11-10-2005, 11:23 PM

Hi, No we haven't because so many people have complained about cold dry air being bad for their asthma, and because very dry conditions seem to be bad for my daughter's skin. We will probably take a trip there this winter just to see, though. Thanks for the suggestion!
Holly

upallnite2much · 11-11-2005, 06:53 AM

Hi Holly-

I dont have any suggestions, just wanted to let you know that I know what you are going through. We are trying to narrow down what is triggering asthma flareups and awful coughing in my 4 year old, so I know how frustrating it can be.
Hope you get the answers that you need.
Best wishes!

krissy1970 · 11-11-2005, 09:21 AM

When I was a baby, my asthma was very severe...the hospital kept sending me home from the Er and my mom and dad was frustrated, I kept turning blue. One day, mom called my dad from work to tell him I was really sick and my dad came home and they took me to the er, the same as always, they sent me back home, when I got out to the car, I was turning blue....a old family doctor that had been treating my family for many years seen my dad and came out to talk to him and my dad told him what was going on, the doctor rushed me back into the ER and gave me a shot to get me breathing again and diagnosed me with Asthma...he told my parents that the climate in Maryland was too harsh for me and I needed somewhere warm, he told my dad somewhere like Florida would be good, he also told my dad if he didn't get me out of there, he was going to lose his daughter, and gave my dad 24 hours to get out of the state and my parents where given a list of every Emergency room and direction on how to get there on I-95 and phone numbers in case they needed them...my family packed up and left that night and I got better as soon as I got to Florida..

so yes, Climate can play a big factor in youer childs Asthma.

krissy.