A young child with a history of wheeze

Paton, J. , Bindels, P., McMurray, A., Biggins, J., Nantanda, R. and Stubbe Østergaard, M. (2017) A young child with a history of wheeze. npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine, 27, 19. (doi: 10.1038/s41533-017-0020-3) (PMID:28303014) (PMCID:PMC5434789)

Abstract

The parents of a 3-year old boy are anxious about their son who has recurring episodes of wheezing. They are frustrated that no one seems to be able to give them answers to their questions and would like a referral to a specialist. Does their son have asthma and what is the prognosis; how can the recurrent wheezing be managed and can the risk of asthma be reduced; are there lifestyle changes that could improve the environment and avoid triggers? Communication and support from the family practice team were essential. Listening to the parents' concerns, explaining the diagnostic uncertainty, being realistic about what drug treatments could achieve, and providing practical advice on inhaler use and trigger avoidance reassured the parents that there was a strategy for managing their son's wheeze. The specialist referral was postponed.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Paton, Dr James
• Authors: Paton, J., Bindels, P., McMurray, A., Biggins, J., Nantanda, R., and Stubbe Østergaard, M.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
• Journal Name: npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• ISSN: 2055-1010
• ISSN (Online): 2055-1010
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2017 The Authors
• First Published: First published in npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine 27: 19
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License