The Prednisone for Asthma

In the spring of 2010, Forrest was really struggling with his asthma. He has a complicated lung system by not only the asthma, but his cerebral palsy and poor swallow and management of his own secretions and saliva. Many years without speech therapy had left him drooling with a slack jaw that just hung open. He would also allow his saliva to pool in the back of his throat resulting in some degree of aspiration that contributed to continued inflammation of his lungs and chronic respiratory infections. So that spring his pulmonologist recommended that he try a low dose of prednisone every other day. We decided at that time the benefit would out weigh the risk.

Then Forrest started getting speech therapy. Slowly and gradually I've watched him stop drooling and gag less on his saliva. He no longer has a jaw that just hangs open.  He can close his lips together.  Although he still coughs you can tell it's not always a result of his saliva running down the back of his throat.  He hasn't had pneumonia since 2010. He's done very well with respiratory infections.

I've been so distracted by the skin infections and cysts that I've given little thought to the use of prednisone until this winter when that cyst on his face abcessed shortly after a burst of prednisone. Then the infection returned after another prednisone burst. So far the doctor's have felt that the abcessing of the cysts has been influenced by the use of prednisone and the friction on the cysts based on his physical moved.

A week ago Monday we had F in the doctor office for a cyst under his arm that I just randomly discovered during his shower. We started compresses immediately. The doctor confirmed it's a cyst. During that appointment we discussed the use of the every other day prednisone. It seems that long term use has finally caught up with F.

The writing has been on the wall, but it took that appointment to really bring these secondary infections and the likelihood that there is a connection to his use of the steroids. Over time the use of the steroid begins to inhibit your body's own ability to heal and fight infection. Thus the reason we are beginning to see more and more occurrence of these infections.

We have begun the weaning process for the prednisone. I'm hopeful that with less drooling and improved oral motor skills that perhaps we can get away from the need for the steroid. My fingers are crossed.