Asthma...or not

Joshua has been hospitalized twice in the past six months for difficulty breathing. Lots of steroids, tears, frustrations, late nights, bags under the eyes later, we saw a pediatric pulmonologist.

He was amazing. Explained everything. And said Joshua could have asthma, and very well could not. The best idea is to treat him now and wait and see how he does.

So, we are now on a controller medication, an inhaler, so we can try to stay on top of his episodes and make sure he doesn't end up in the hospital again. We will give him two puffs in the morning and two in the evening until the spring, and then reevaluate.

It seems his only triggers at this point is when he has a cold/virus, he isn't able to fight it without it getting into his lungs and causing him some breathing difficulty.

Asthma is so common, and yet still shocking at the same time. No one in our families has asthma. No one has any breathing issues. We have never dealt with a daily medication before. But, Joshua doesn't really like to follow a certain path, so it's kind of fitting.

We are desperately hoping he outgrows it, as predicted from the doctor. With no history, and only 2 episodes in his almost 2 years of life, the chances he outgrows this problem by the time he is four or five years old are high. So, for now, we will do the inhaler and cross our fingers that we will be through this in a few years, and he won't have to be on medication for the rest of his life.

And, for now, we are thankful we are headed into the winter and terrible cold/virus season with a plan, and with a way to protect our little guy and give him a chance to fight things off without a trip to the hospital.