and I know that you can answer me. ROFL...

Why do they wait until age 2 to diagnose asthma? And then, what is the difference in treatment?

I'm just curious, it is driving me batty, Jack is wheezing still and we have been doing the treatments.. but this morning my chest hurts like bronchitis... so could this cause his wheezing? Would I wheeze if I didn't have it? (it meaning asthma)
Am I making sense? LOL... :oops:

I think the biggest part of waiting, is for insurance. Most kiddos outgrow Reactive Airways Disease by the time they are 2 or 3. For insurance companies, RAD doesn't carry the stigma that "asthma" does, so they are less likely to rule it a pre-existing condition if it's called RAD. There is no difference in the treatment of RAD vs asthma.

Bronchospasm doesn't have to be caused by asthma. Cold air, upper resp infections, anything that irritates the airways can cause bronchospasm (coughing and/or wheezing).

You guys, I think I need to loan you the bio-hazard suit that Leigh bought me so that your house can get over all of this! I can't wait for spring so I can air this house out! By the way, if you feel like you're getting bronchitis, and you're not coughing up nasty green stuff yet (meaning still white or clear), get an expectorant, Robitussin (plain not DM) or Mucinex and start using that. They will break up the crud so you can cough it out. If you use DM, it will suppress the cough, so no clearing of the chest. Be prepared, though, the cough lasts forever after the "bronchitis" has resolved (I mean like weeks).

I hope this makes sense to you. If you have more questions, or I confused you, let me know. I hope you're feeling better soon!

Makes perfect sense. That's why they say "RAD" instead of asthma then.
I think that the girls must have had bronchitis.
I'm not coughing anything up, just cough and my chest is tight like that feeling.

Thanks Lori. You are the best once again. So nice to have a respiratory therapist here, expert and otherwise. :hug: