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How Can I Stope My Eight Year Old Son From Wheezing During The Night?
Question: my son is 8 and is sleeping and he is wheezing. it started last night but it was nothing like now. he is shallow fast breathing and making a whistling noise. i gave him claritan last night for his allergies. This has not happend since he was a baby. do I wake him? what do i do?
Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for your query.
Whistling noise (stridor or wheeze) occurs due to airway obstruction. Both upper and lower airway obstruction is a cause.
You have not mentioned if he has nasal congestion. If he has, instilling saline nasal drops (2 drops) into each nostril will relieve the congestion and the noise.
If nasal congestion is not associated, then lower air way problems are to be suspected.
You may slowly try changing his current sleeping position. If your son never had asthma since birth and has had no symptoms through out the day, then change of position might help. On changing the position, if wheezing subsides, then this could be a benign issue, and no need for any intervention.
In case, he does have severe wheezing along with bouts of coughing and difficulty sleeping, then he might have developed a viral bronchitis. Steam inhalation will benefit him for the time being. Visit a doctor for prescription of bronchodilators in the morning (if the condition does not subside).
I hope this helps. I shall be available to answer any follow up queries .
Regards
Thanks for your query.
Whistling noise (stridor or wheeze) occurs due to airway obstruction. Both upper and lower airway obstruction is a cause.
You have not mentioned if he has nasal congestion. If he has, instilling saline nasal drops (2 drops) into each nostril will relieve the congestion and the noise.
If nasal congestion is not associated, then lower air way problems are to be suspected.
You may slowly try changing his current sleeping position. If your son never had asthma since birth and has had no symptoms through out the day, then change of position might help. On changing the position, if wheezing subsides, then this could be a benign issue, and no need for any intervention.
In case, he does have severe wheezing along with bouts of coughing and difficulty sleeping, then he might have developed a viral bronchitis. Steam inhalation will benefit him for the time being. Visit a doctor for prescription of bronchodilators in the morning (if the condition does not subside).
I hope this helps. I shall be available to answer any follow up queries .
Regards
Note: For further information on diet changes to reduce allergy symptoms or to boost your immunity, Ask here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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