# Mildest, barely noticeable cold ever: did it actually cause THIS?!



## LiLStar

So last week my 23mo had an almost undetectable cold. Like, barely even registered in my head as "this kid has a cold", MILD. If I wipe his nose (clear) twice in 36 hours and he coughs once... you don't think "he has a cold" ya know? So Friday morning, we go to an indoor play place. One he's been to before and likes. He wasn't really into it, seemed resistant when I tried to go up in the play structure and go with him to the slide (normally he'd be enthusiastically leading the way) it was weird! After a little while he just wanted to cuddle. Overall though, he seemed happy, in a good mood. When I was holding him, I noticed he looked like he was putting a lot of effort into breathing. I saw some chest retractions when he inhaled. I wasn't fully trusting my observations. I was like, what, no? He couldnt be! I figured a child with difficulty breathing would show some signs of distress? Look a little more upset? He fell asleep in the car, an hour before his typical nap (and his typical nap takes a good 30+ min of nursing to accomplish) so that was pretty unusual. Once at home, he got up (no more nap, grr) and was playing, and didn't seem to be having any more trouble. Then I noticed when he exhaled, I heard a sort of hissing sound. Finally decided to play it safe and call the ped, find out if he needed to be seen that day, or if I could just keep an eye on him. They had me bring him in. His dr wasn't in that day so we saw someone else. When we were there, he did sound like he had a bit of mucus in his throat (you know how little kids sometimes sound like they need to clear their throat, but they never do it? It drives me nuts, listening to it makes ME clear my throat! lol) and he did cough more in the car than he had all week. His oxygen levels were fine, but she could hear fluid in his lungs and prescribed albuterol, to use as needed. I only gave him one dose, and been keeping an eye on him, hasn't needed more.

Anyway, I'm a little confused here. Normal healthy toddlers don't need inhalers even for severe colds, but this? It seems overdramatic to even call his current symptoms a cold! I am dumbfounded. Can a teeeeeny tiny "coldlet" really cause that?


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## Alenushka

Yes, a tiny cold can cause this.

I would definitely follow up with the doctor. This could be onset of asthma or reactive airways and usually kids grow out of it.

When a toddler has a cold, he is not healthy and sometime inhaler is needed.


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## LiLStar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alenushka*
> 
> Yes, a tiny cold can cause this.
> 
> I would definitely follow up with the doctor. This could be onset of asthma or reactive airways and usually kids grow out of it.
> 
> When a toddler has a cold, he is not healthy and sometime inhaler is needed.


It's just, shocking! I've never known anyone with a child without other health issues need an inhaler with a smidge of a cold. (and when I describe him as healthy, I mean he has thus far been completely developmentally typical and has had no health issues) Although if it was the onset of asthma, then he was having difficulty breathing due to asthma. That's what I mean.. I'd expect some other reason besides an eensy little cold. Gosh, I wonder if maybe he's just having some allergies/asthma and its not even viral? It would be nice to follow up with our regular ped and get her take. It's always weird seeing a stranger (perfectly nice as she was) and I wish he could have had the consistency of the same person evaluating him each time. He had a proper, legit cold at his well visit a month ago (on its way out) and she noted wheezing then, but not "bad" the only reason it was noted was because he needed to be cleared for anesthesia for dental work a couple weeks later. She wouldn't have allowed him to have anesthesia *that day* because of it, but we followed up a few days before his appt and he was perfect. Could being intubated under anesthesia have irritated his airway and made him more susceptible to breathing difficulties 2.5 weeks later?


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## Alenushka

Wheezing? I would ask your pedi if your child is developing asthma. It is something that needs to be treated and one should carry rescue inhaler just in case.

My healthy breastfed child developed asthma at young age. Genes happen.


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## LiLStar

Eh, one thing I've noticed is health care practitioners throwing the word "wheezing" around too freely any time they hear ANYTHING when he was breathing. Like at the dentist, they called it "wheezing" after giving intranasal versed and a sedated toddler who doesn't know how to clear his throat well was experiencing postnasal drip.. yeah, he sounded a little wet when they took him back! And I think the "wheezing" at his well child visit was sort of a "normal cold" type thing and not really anything to be concerned about? (at least, that was the impression I was given at the time, but maybe with the new more recent symptoms as of this Friday it now becomes significant?) He did not appear to have any breathing difficulty whatsoever at his well visit when he had a cold.

But, on Friday when I saw the chest retractions when he inhaled, he was definitely wheezing in a way that had me at the next available appointment time. THAT I did not think was in any way normal. It wasn't loud, but when he was on my lap I was hearing a hissing with his exhale. So, maybe he is developing asthma. My brother has it.. so there we are, family history. I wonder if I can put in a call to ask his regular ped to review his chart from that visit and have a quick phone consult, see what she thinks? I wonder if they'd do that. He has albuterol, is that a rescue inhaler? I'm keeping it handy and watching him closely ever since.


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## Alenushka

Yes, Albuterol is a rescue inhaler. Your pedi can refer your child for PFT, Pulmonary Lung Function test. It is non invasive. You child just breaths into a tube and computer calculates various things. It can help in diagnosis of ashtma. Ashtma flare ups usually has viral and allergic components. For example, dust, mold or pollen.

Yes, family history is the strongest predictor.


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## alpenglow

The cold could have been RSV (which can present as a mild cold to start) that caused viral bronchiolitis (and respiratory distress). The inhaler would help clear the lungs and reduce the risk of it developing into pneumonia. Besides family history, a history of eczema, reflux, allergies can also increase the risk of developing childhood asthma. I would keep the inhaler and watch for other symptoms, eg night coughing. How is your babe doing now?


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## AndtheStars

Sorry to bring this thread back, but *LilStar*, how is your DS doing? My 19 mo DS has been 'sick' since October. Just a string of colds, coughs, and fevers that would be fine for a few days then reoccur and make him unwell for a few days, then better. You know the cycle...We had his 18 mo well child in the beginning of Dec and the doctor didn't seem too distressed about any of it. He said that his lungs were clear and just encouraged continued humidifier use. Three days later, DS did exactly what your son did with the coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing for 24 hours. It stopped the next day and he was fine with just a runny nose for a week. I Dr. Google diagnosed RSV and figured that any lingering symptoms would be from that as it seems that symptoms can last up to a month.

In the past two weeks though, he's started a troubling pattern. At least once a day, usually in the evening, he'll have a coughing/wheezing spell that lasts for up to an hour. He doesn't seem troubled by it, just trucks around coughing and wheezing. There is zero history of asthma or allergies in either side of the family so it wasn't even something I considered until a couple days ago. It seems to be brought on by physical activity and time spent outside. I was just curious how your situation turned out because our fact patterns seem so similar. I have a doctor appointment for him next week but like you, I'm concerned about how liberally the asthma label is diagnosed and don't want to set up a long-term med situation.


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## LiLStar

Oh sorry, meant to update a few weeks ago but forgot! I procrastinate replying when on mobile (thanks to a 4yo with a squirting bottle "cleaning" my lap top, mobile is all I got!)

So, he had the mildest hint of a cold imaginable. It never progressed and fizzled away so it makes me wonder about allergies which makes sense since allergies have been plaguing dh and I! I gave him the one dose of Albuterol and nothing since. Not sure if he fits the criteria for rsv. Since then, he has had maybe one other few days worth of slight runny nose/occasional cough but no full on miserable cold. I've been paying close attention to to his breathing and being on alert in case any thing like that happens again. Almost makes it extra bizarre for it to be this one time fluke! Inhaler is kept where I can't lose it just in case.


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