The best advice about helping my son (persistent severe asthma) get a good night's sleep came from a woman who knew nothing about asthma. I was explaining to a friend that I would put a bunch of pillows (encased in dust mite allergy zipper bags) on the bed for my son to be propped up during his sleep. The problem was that he would just slip down, sleeping flat on his back and soon would be up coughing. This nice old woman turned around and said, you can't slip if there is no room. EUREKA! So, now when he has a cold or is struggling with his asthma we put the pile of pillows in the middle of the bed and prop him up. He doesn't slip down because his feet hit the footboard and he has no where to go.

Another great idea is to use a recliner and a travel pillow. The recliner keeps you propped up yet you can still lay back enough you can get some sleep. The travel pillow keeps your neck and head from being distorted and aching in the morning.

Another thing I learned: Vaporizers are a no-no for asthma sufferers for two reasons. They can harbor bacteria and spew it into the air and an asthmatic needs cool dry air rather than warm and wet.
Suzanne M.
Brooklyn Park, MN

I have a 3-year-old with asthma and when his asthma is acting up it definitely disrupts his sleep. I know it is bothering him when he is really restless at night, crying or moaning and hitting the sides of the bed when rolling. And when I go in to listen to him he is either breathing faster, usually from his belly, his chest is not rising, or I hear a whistle at the end of his breaths. These symptoms have happened less and less since we have gotten his medication controlled, put wood flooring in his room, removed all stuffed animals, wash his bedding frequently and have put dust mite-proof covers on mattresses and pillow cases. I also think that it has made a difference since we have removed his wipe warmer out of his room, which gave off a scent from the wipes and I believe irritated his airway.

It is all those little things that a lot of people don't think about doing in their sleeping environment that make a world of difference. We also had to up his amount of Flovent that he gets daily and, as he has gotten older, we definitely needed to up the strength. Plus they put him on Singulair, which I feel has helped tremendously. When he is restless at night, I will go in and give him a nebulizer of his albuterol – that seems to help and we usually don't hear anything from him for the rest of the night. We see his episodes of disrupted sleep more if he has been running around outside for a considerable amount of time, which I think can tend to irritate his lungs (I do give him a puff or two off of his albuterol inhaler before going outside if he is going to be running around or around environmental things that seem to irritate his lungs) or if he is sick with a virus (which seems to irritate the most). The good thing is he has so much energy it doesn't really seem to keep him down at all.

I am adamant about keeping his regular appointments with his Asthma Program Coordinator, Asthma Specialty Doctor and Allergist, which seems to keep us on top of things. He has had this since birth and it has taken us all of his three years of life to finally start to get his asthma under control. Unfortunately, being as he is just three, he is unable to tell us what is really going on inside his little body and we have to rely on symptoms.

I hope this helps some. I know how frustrating it can be.
Rachel G.
La Crosse, WI

My daughter has had problems with sleep for years, along with asthma, allergies, GI problems and upper respiratory infections. They are getting increasingly worse and affecting daily activities more. Her doctors ran several tests recently, including sleep study, full blood work, etc. After finding out that she is not getting all the air that she needs at night, she was referred to an ENT. That doctor discovered enlarged adenoids (which she has seen in patients with a lot of upper respiratory, asthma and allergies). My daughter is going to have her adenoids removed and the doctor will check the tonsils while she is in surgery to see if they need to be removed – we are hoping that by removing them she will get more air. It took years to get to the point. I hope this is a breakthrough.
Rochelle R.
Houston, TX

I have asthma and find a couple of things help me sleep better.

I have a small room air purifier in my bedroom. I start it about an hour before I go to bed. I run it on high while I sleep and while it cleans the air, it also provides "white noise" to help me sleep.

I sleep elevated on a couple of pillows. I can adjust them to a level of comfort whether stacked one directly on top of the other, or "stair step" them for a gradual incline. I have read that sleeping elevated also helps people with snoring, GERD and other digestive disorders.

Hope these ideas are helpful to someone else.
Yvonne G.
Wakeman, OH

Please don't rule out sleep apnea as a cause of poor sleep, even in children! My 10-year-old son had his tonsils and adenoids out in August, as we believe he had been suffering from sleep apnea since May. He snored, had poor height and weight growth, was tired a lot, was a mouth breather at night, etc. Numerous blood tests during a physical all came back normal! He has asthma and allergies too. His father has sleep apnea, so with those factors present, we went ahead with the surgery. Since then, he sleeps quietly, is gaining weight, and reports that he now has dreams at night! We are very happy we had the surgery, and are glad we found a willing ENT doctor!
Beverly H.
Concord, CA

First, read up on all the "good sleep hygiene" information out there – like don't have coffee or caffeinated beverages close to bedtime or stop doing stimulating activities just before bedtime, allowing for the body to transition to rest and drowsiness. It is important and can really help in reducing the "asthma anxiety" about being able to sleep.

As far as specifics for asthma & allergy folks, one that is extremely helpful is to lay one of those "body pillows" between the mattress and box springs at the head of the bed. This way your body still get the solid, firm support of the mattress and the gentle slope allows the body to benefit from gravity to assist in drainage.

Cool mist vaporizer is always helpful. Sometimes my children will elect to sit next to the vaporizer just before bedtime or if they wake up in the night a little "thick in the chest." It gives them a little security and feeling that they can do something to help themselves – they can sometimes "self-manage," and that relieves a lot of anxiety for them. (Of course, inhalers are not to be ignored, either!)

I have two children with asthma & allergies and one without. The non-asthma child benefits from a cool mist vaporizer too when she has a cold. It is nice for a non-asthma child to also get some "special treatment" . The units with a removable tank for refilling are quite affordable. It is important to clean it regularly (and also dry it out) so that you are not adding mold, etc. into the mix!

A bedside bottle of water, flashlight and small hard candies for sucking on are helpful.

In the winter months, a brief time of bundled-up stargazing outside helps to get the cool air into the lungs and can keep the spasms in check or even just break the cycle sometimes. Or breathing through an open window (best if not in the bedroom so that it doesn't get too cold!).

Research shows that warming up the feet before sleep (slippers) helps induce sleep also.

I hope that some of these ideas with be helpful to other moms – and those they love.
Susan F.
Dublin, OH

We were amazed at the huge difference in our children's quality of sleep once we removed the carpeting and installed wooden floors. It was an expense but well worth it.

At the same time we did a major clear out of junk and old books. A neat and tidy room that doesn't attract dust mites makes life better for all of us!
Carol O.
Chappaqua, NY

After a long two and half years of sleepless nights with my son, his asthma finally became manageable after his silent (no vomiting, but significant nighttime reflux upon diagnostic testing) GERD was diagnosed and treated.

I believe this variable is overlooked many times with asthma patients and is typically worse at night when one is lying down – just like asthma, making it difficult to diagnose.

Having a solid diagnosis, which many times requires a fresh set of eyes (second medical opinion) and associated effective treatment plan for both helped us all start sleeping for longer periods of time.

I hope that helps others who are struggling with managing what may appear to be ineffective asthma treatment plans.
Laurie S.
Portage, IN

The biggest help in reducing allegies at night for our family was not allowing pets in the bedroom. We avoided pets for years but pets "found" us as my children approached their teen years. Our allergist had often said that keeping the bedroom as allergy free as possible was very important. By keeping the pets out of the bedroom at all times, and careful handwashing after contact with the pets, my children were able to sleep well and still have pets like their friends.
Joan F.
Fort Mill, SC

I would like to share what we have done for our son with asthma, food allergies and environmental allergies.

We have the dust mite covers on his mattress and all pillows. His bedding is washed frequently in HOT water. There is a HEPA filter in his room. We give him a bath and put Vaseline all over his body and then only cotton pajamas before bed time. This keeps his eczema from bothering him. We found dust mites to be a large problem. His eczema would flare keeping him scratching all night and his asthma would get worse. We also found out that he has food allergies – eliminating foods he was allergic kept his eczema calm. He is also on Singular and Zyrtec at bed time. We never have the windows open in the house and if he plays outside, we get him into the bath right away to get rid of all the pollen and other allergens. This way he doesn't go into his bedroom and release the allergens where he sleeps. All of these steps are keeping his asthma calm and helping him finally get a good night's sleep.
Christina N.
Huntington Station, NY

My 11-year-old son is on a really good maintenance program, so unless he has a cold he sleeps through the night. When he has a cold with a stuffy nose and cough, we are diligent about using a nasal rinse at least 2 times a day. It is amazing how much better he will feel after just a couple days by just getting the mucous out of his head!
DaLynn W.
Windsor, CO

I know many people frown on this, but we do the co-sleeping/family bed. It has worked for us and we sleep soundly when our asthmatic son is sleeping soundly, and we know right away when he is struggling or experiencing labored breathing.

As far as his allergies, the dust mite covers do have as strong an impact as the doctor said they would. We also have benefited from the HEPA filter in the bedroom and making the bedroom more allergy friendly, including removing carpets, clutter and knick-knacks, and curtains.

Hope this helps.
Heather H.
Prosperity, PA

This is what I remember doing for an emergency last spring:

• Sleep on one side, rather than on my back. (Only necessary for a short time).
• Each time I wake up during the night from breathing problems, use Alkalol as nose douche and gargle.
• Albuterol as prescribed.
• Other medication as prescribed.

Journal: I have a pocket notebook and for a period of time recorded each day the following:

• Treatment, what, when.
• Temperature, outdoor air quality (from newspaper weather page or TV).
• My daily condition, response to allergens.
• Readings on peak flow meter.

The journal is helpful for understanding the impact of outside air quality, reaching a greater awareness.

Sleep habits: Best for me to go to bed by 10 p.m. I place helpful items on the bedstand. One item is a notebook and pen. If any idea occurs, I can record it and know the list will be available in the morning. Another is a water bottle. Try not to have hyper activity, work or worry prior to bedtime (adrenalin). Try not to get up and do any chores that would signal end of sleep. Choose a regular lighting system for night. I leave the toilet room door light lit and pull the door to where only a crack of light shows. Buy a good bed and pillow, bedcovers and bedclothes.

If sleep eludes, I try to think of something I would like to do or place to be that is pleasant and restful. A friend of mine recommends music on the radio to help with sleep. For me, even a good noise makes me more alert. I prefer to listen for sounds in the night: train whistles, bird calls, traffic, wind blowing trees, rain.

Indoor air quality: I have a whole house humidifier. I prefer a free-standing humidifier over one in a furnace system. I also dry my laundry on racks in a spare bathroom, adding moisture to the air.
Judith B.
Shawnee Mission, KS

The room needs to be completely allergen free. No carpeting, not even an area rug. Mattresses need to have a dust cover. Sheets need to be washed in hot water every week or so to kill the dust mites. Mini-blinds need to be kept clean every week and drapes/curtains need to be cleaned regularly. An air purifier needs to run every night and during the day when necessary when there is a high pollen count. The air purifier also needs to run whenever you clean/dust the furniture and floors. The best judge is your child. If the child wakes up in a better state then when going to bed, you have done a great job. If your child wakes up under distress, then you need to make more of an effort. When it comes to my son's room, I have to make it healthy.
Cindy G.
Rockville, MD

My 7-year-old son always lost sleep before we had his asthma and allergies under control. Once we had allergy testing that indicated that he was allergic to dust mites and mold, we started him on a nightly dose of Zyrtec and we dust-proofed his room...ripping out carpet, drapes, stuffed animals and clutter that collects dust. We not only allergy proofed his bed but his brother's bed in the same room. We also dust proofed our bed. (Children always end up in mom and dad's bed some time or another). We were amazed at the immediate improvement. His nightly wheezing and asthma flare ups cleared and he now sleeps more deeply and soundly.
Jen F.
Millbrae, CA

I don't have allergies, only asthma. I have three comfortable pillows so that I can recline at a 45 degree angle if needed at night to sleep or at least rest better. You can arrange the pillows to support your back head and neck and be comfortable. I have slept in a recliner, but the different room environment keeps me awake, so I sleep better in my bedroom with proper pillow support.

Talk with your doctor. If your asthma is severe or advanced, you may need oxygen at night. I was surprised to learn that your oxygen levels can be lower at night when sleeping (there is a physiological basis for this). You may also need medication such as a long acting bronchodilator at night.
Laura S.
Dallastown, PA

Thanks for the opportunity to talk on these important quality-of-life topics.

Quality sleep is essential to health and well-being, safety and learning. I want to underscore the recommendation of working with one's physician to accurately diagnose the underlying cause for sleep difficulty. Unstable allergies and asthma are just two of the possible reasons, albeit important to address.

It is important to inform parents and teens there are several possible conditions that may be underlying a sleep problem and it is only through a good medical evaluation and working with the medical provider that a diagnosis and effective treatment plan can be found.

Sleep problems in the teen and preteen years can be a result of a normal shift in circadian rhythms due to a shift in the production of melatonin. Difficulty falling asleep should alert parents to think about this common problem.

Stress and depression can interfere with sleep, both of which are more common than one might want to think among both children and teens. This is even more likely to be the case for kids who live with chronic illness.

Good sleep habits like regular bedtimes and wake up times and having quiet restful activity prior to bedtime can go a long way to help. But there can be a lot more underlying the sleep problem. Working with a physician or a sleep specialist is the key to an accurate diagnosis and a successful treatment plan.

For more information on sleep problems you can go to:
www.sleepfoundation.org
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/sleepdisorders

On a note of success: my now 22 -year-old daughter has successfully made it to a rich and wonderful life after surviving chronic asthma, allergies, sleep disorder, and depression.

Good luck to all the parents and kids and teens out there. You can work it out. Accurate information and expert medical care are the keys.
Karen M.
Anchorage, AK

This is not a new idea but it is so fun to share my story. My daughter will be 5 in December. She woke up every night of her life, multiple times, until January 2006. I always attributed her wake ups to her eczema. She would be uncomfortable and scratchy. Last January she was hospitalized for an asthma flair up. After that episode, she was put on Flovent for a few months and then Pulmicort Turbo inhaler daily. She continues to take the Pulmicort daily. She has not woken up during the night since. Her eczema has improved considerably. I always wonder if the sleepless nights were due to asthma and not eczema.
Terry T.
Sagle, ID

Our daughter gets a much better night's sleep if she uses Nasacort just before bed, especially during the Fall and Spring when there are many irritants.
Sue
Rockville, MD

I'd like to suggest a product called AccuNeb .63mg for anyone with an asthmatic child under 5 years old. Since AccuNeb .63mg is a pediatric dose of albuterol, my child no longer suffers from insomnia or hyperactivity after his albuterol treatments. Sometimes he even falls asleep during a treatment with his mask on! And since AccuNeb comes in pre-mixed vials, I don't have to mix albuterol with saline, which ensures sterility and is so much easier. It's truly a dream come true.
Erica A.
South Boston, MA