Bronchitis and asthma

Last week Andrew started getting a little cough, which then turned into a really bad cough and fever. I ended up taking him to the ER, was told that he had bronchitis and sent home with an antibiotic prescription for him. He kept getting worse. His respirations were very fast and labored. He was using all of his accessory muscles to breath. When I listened to him with my stethoscope I could hear wheezing all throughout his lung fields. I took him to his pediatrician and while I was waiting in the office, the medical assistants rushed to get the doctor, saying "that little boy is going to need a treatment." The doctor asked if he had any history of asthma, because he was definitely having an asthma attack. They gave him an albuterol nebulizer treatment and ordered a nebulizer for me to use for him at home. At home, he was still breathing very labored and fast. Even after the treatments, he was still wheezing really bad. His fever was 102.6 and an hour after Tylenol was still 101. We decided to take him back to the ER. We spent 6 hours in the ER filled with nebulizer treatments, chest xray, IV antibiotics, IV fluids. They debated whether they should send him to Cottage hospital, but in the end the doctor thought he was turning the corner enough to go home. Thank goodness he did turn the corner. He is finally back to his normal self now. Here are some pictures from last week.