“Did dinosaurs have asthma?”  My youngest asked me this morning.  This wasn’t an idle question.  He was taking his inhalers and pretending to give them to the T-rex.

There are 2 important answers here for parents:

1. For younger children, always say “yes” to questions like this.  Why?  It’s an important way of processing the illness experience.  Pretending that their toy  has the same illness or injury that they have often helps.  In our case, today it is a wheezy T-rex, but beloved Ochpas has had many an urgent care visit over the years where the oxygen probe has been put on a tentacle.   When I was training as a doctor, we routinely put mini matching bandages  or casts post-surgery on children’s teddies and dolls.  It’s not just “cute” –  it can really help.

2. For parents and carers: If dinosaurs did have asthma, they certainly didn’t have inhalers and that might be why they are now extinct.  Using inhalers and recognizing signs of asthma (it’s not always a wheeze!) is critical for getting good asthma control.

More on asthma?  Check out Vlad the Inhaler:  

Asthma Mythbusting:

1. “I try to avoid using my inhaler as much as possible, doctor.” Avoiding or minimizing the use of inhalers is not a goal of.  I have patients tell me that all the time.  If you are constantly needing your inhaler “too much”, that is a sign that your asthma isn’t well-controlled and you need a review soon with your doctor.  Make an asthma action plan with your doctor!

2. “It’s just asthma.” Asthma attacks can be life-threatening. They can cause days off of school or work.

3. “It’s just a night time cough.” Night time cough is a sign of uncontrolled asthma, and having a good talk with your GP is important to make sure you are having this right conversation.

4. “I want to avoid medications that a child doesn’t need and we’ve tried elderberry/more antibiotics/salt caves” No doctor wants a child to have medicine that they don’t need in the real world.  Remember, in Ireland, the health service is not looking for more business and doctors don’t get paid to prescribe more medicine but alternative therapies for asthma do not work. Children need and deserve qualified and safe expert care for asthma. **Never trust an alternative practioner that advises you to stop or reduce your child’s asthma medication without consulting your GP or paediatrician. ** There are no supplements that treat asthma.

5. “We’ve stopped dairy and gluten to treat asthma.” Unless you have a diagnosed allergy to the food, restrictive diets don’t cure asthma.  In children, always ask your GP to refer you to  INDI/CORU registered dietitian which is the recognized qualification in Ireland to advise on child nutrition and, if you are concerned, to help identify food sensitivities.  Discuss with your GP whether a referral to a qualified allergy specialist is needed. Home-testing kits, chiropractors, functional clinics without IMC-registered doctors offering blood panels or hair testing – it’s all just bad science.   Reduce your stress and save your €.

6. Complementary or Alternative Medicine - What's the Difference

   Alternative medicine generally refers to non-evidence health care provided by practitioners who are not registered allied health care professionals as an alternative to standard care. The danger is when this delays care for serious conditions, such as asthma, cancer, or diabetes. Complementary is the term we use when the non-evidence based case is provided ALONG SIDE evidence-based care, such as aromatherapy or reflexology. My guidelines for patients looking into CAM: 1. You should be able to comfortably afford it. 2. The practitioner should not mislead you on their qualifications, what the evidence says that the treatment can do, or recommend changes to prescribed medications. 3. The practitioner should encourage you to be transparent with your own doctor , continue to engage to standard of care, and to go back to your doctor if there are any problems. 4. Nutritionists without the recognised qualifications of INDI/CORU registration should not be advising on dietary changes for patients with chronic health conditions or children.

Asthma Society of Ireland has great patient resources for more information.