Pulmicort side effects in toddlers?

[gcsmithjr]

I can't speak directly to whether pulmicort has side effects for toddlers but had two thoughts - first of all, there are lots of opinions based on personal experience posted online that may or may not be directly tied to those medications so don't get too freaked out (for some reason it looks like the negatives outweigh the positives by about 10:1 even though I took pulmicort for several years with no side effects).

The second thought is that if your daughter is having to use a nebulizer regularly getting her on pulmicort (or another inhaled steroid) is definitely worthwhile - nebulizers are great for short-term severe asthma flare ups but can pose lots of challenges for long-term chronic asthma that inhaled steroids can really help with.

[violetsmom13]

You are right about the personal stories. I have to remind myself that these people have all kinds of health histories and other variables that need to be taken into account! Could I trouble you to explain what you meant about the nebulizer comment? Do you think that using a nebulizer is better for rescue meds than for daily steroid delivery? Our specialist implied that because my daughter is two, a nebulizer is the only effective way to administer the Albuterol or the Pulmicort. We have an inhaler with a spacer for emergencies on the go, but we have never tried it.

[gcsmithjr]

My comment about the nebulizer wasn't because it's not an effective means of delivering the medication (they're great, particularly for a 2-year-old).

The challenge with a nebulizer is just the inconvenience of using one, so getting her on a regular maintenance program (when she's old enough) that doesn't require her to use a nebulizer, even it means 2x a day of pulmicort (using the spacer) will make life easier for you and her.

Typically only patients with the most severe forms of asthma use nebulizers regularly (or others when they have a severe flare up), so when she gets to a place where her asthma can be managed using the inhalers you'll have one less thing to worry about.

[SheaUSMC]

I would assume the dosage of Pulmicort (same number of X's daily, same amount) would remain the same whether you are using a nebulizer or inhaler to deliver it. Some studies show that children especially, receive more of the medication to their lungs with a nebulizer than with the inhaler, even with a spacer. As the other poster stated, convenience would be the main reason for changing the delivery method. (although side effects, too, can vary according to the delivery method)

As for the comments listed online in regards to pulmicort, I should have noted that most people don't go online to praise such meds, they go out there in search of information because of problems they have had with it, so obviously when reading sites like the one I referenced below, you are going to see the negatives outweigh the positives. I simply wanted to show that according to many patients using this med, behavioral changes are apparently a problem for some people. I think it is important to look for side effects to meds that the drug companies don't list. The last time I checked, behavioral changes were not listed as a side effect of Pulmicort, but it would appear that it IS a disturbing side effect for many people. I would however, assume that they are in the minority.

[dizzymommy]

Violetsmom,
I haven't read the other posts, but here's my story. The same thing happened with my two year old. He was finally put on Pulmicort which has helped TREMENDOUSLY. His most recent cold I did not have to use any albuterol or prednisone, thank God!! The only thing is that at first they had him on the 50mg. of Pulmicort once a day and he was a maniac...much like the behavior he had when on the Prednisone...highly emotional, hour long screaming fits, nothing could calm him down. The new allergist lowered him to 25mg once a day and immediately he went back to being his normal fun loving self. So, I would deffinitly give it a try, but know that dosages may have to be adjusted (obviously depending on how well your child does breathing). We have barely had to use albuterol (which makes him crazy hyper) since being on pulmicort for about 3 months. Before Pulmicort, he was having several attacks weekly, and every time he got sick it would be a week of breathing trouble.
I know how encredibly difficult the decision is, but I think it's worth a try!!