[Guest]

My 8 year old son began experiencing shortness of breath on 10-12-00. I picked him up from school he said he couldn't get much breath in. I took him to doct. y gave him an antibiotic maxair inhaler. After three days his symptoms got worse after taking maxair. I went back to doct. y took him off maxair gave him aleral inhaler flovent to use in 3 days if symptoms didn't improve. Nothing worked. We were living in relatives home had cats (temporarily). My son saw an allergy/asthma doct. (he is allergic to cats,dogs dust). doct. said he didn't have asthma becauseif he did medications would work. My son continaully experiences shortness of breath. He strecs his neck to breath he purses his lips. He had been in swimming lessons 2 years. Now he can't swim out having severve breathing problems coughing. Inhalers didn't help him at all.Could he still be reacting to cat der? He is in a new school. building is 2years old could have anything to do his breathing problems? Please help!

[Guest]

There are many reasons for shortness of breath, asthma being one of them. Has he had a chest X ray? Has he had breathing tests? The medications you describe usually work, unless someone is having a severe asthmatic episode and they may not work. Inhaled corticosteroids such as flovent are not recommended when a person is having acute problems and systemic steroids such as oral steroids are needed often times. It sounds as if your son is having severe problems and I would be persistent in having him thoroughly evaluated and treated. A pediatric pulmonologist might be of help. If he has asthma, which sounds as a likely cause, then cat dander could certainly be contributing significantly. Again, in patients with severe asthma, generally systemic medications are usually started and then stepped down to lesser therapy as they improve.