Dear All,

My son is 41/2 years old. We live in the Middle East. From time to time (such as now) we experience sand storms.

This causes my little boy to suffer with wheeziness and coughing which causes him distress. I am not sure if this is a precursor to asthma. (he also gets slight excema)

I try to treat this by using a nebuliser with 'combivent' which helps a lot along with cough mixture.

However, I can't help but think there must be some alternative to this. A friend of mine mentioned honey and organic apple vinegar. I haven't tried this but did try him on watered down honey and he vomited immediately.

I appreciate any help on this
Best regards
PF

You could try anti oxidents, vitamin B6, C and probiotics
You need to build up his immune system FOXNews.com - Allergy Treatments: Wake Up and Smell the Alternatives - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,259969,00.html)

Also for the excema feed him only good fats and give him oil supplements like flaxseed oil or fish oil.

Hope you can try this and hope it works for him

I'm not sure why you want an alternative in the first place because the Combivent is very good and one of the few inhaled combinations that opens the airways and keeps them open. Before these asthma preventers and treatments came along, very powerful drugs called xanthines, derived from caffeine; were used. They could be very toxic. As a former child asthmatic I can assure you that asthma is a devastating illness and still kills a thousand people a year in Australia, which has the second highest incidence of asthma worldwide. My strong advice to you is to stick with the Combivent and use it exactly as the doctor told you to. Prevention is the key though and please stay on top of your son's peak flows. Asthma is nothing to be trifled with. Experimenting with honey, garlic, bee pollen whatever is not worth it for one single asthma attack! Believe me.

I've just read your post again and if your son is on a nebuliser then the asthma may be unstable. Stick with the Combivent, please! Eczema is evidence of general atopy so your son, like me; has inflammatory tendencies. "Nohelp4U" is on the right track with the flax seed oil etc; so try to supplement the diet with "Missing Link". Also try 1 gram of Krill Oil a day - one 50mg gel cap morning and night. AND absolutely stick with the Combivent!

Dear Dr Dermie,

Thank you for the advise. I shall definitely stick with the Combivent. I will also take advise with the Krill Oil to see if this can prevent the wheezing in the first place.

I would not give up on Combivent, but want to find a natural prevention rather than cure.

Incidentally, for his excema, I put on Elidel cream. What a wonderful ointment that it. Dab it on as soon as I see a tiny spot of excema and it is gone within 12 hours

Thanks for all the advise.

In many children eczema and chronic asthma go hand-in-hand.