Ventolin during pregnancy related to brain disorders?

[donnajane]

Just thought I would run this past you and see if anyone has heard of this. My 15month olds medical team are still looking for answers as to what is happening with him and why. We were at an appointment with a group of specialised paedeatric Osteo's and one of them mentioned that they felt the Ventolin I was given to stop me going into labour may have been the start of my son's issues and they are probably metabolic? I was shocked I had mentioned to others in the group treating my son that day that his Paed and Nureo had refered him to a Metabolic specialist but this Osteo was not there at the time yet he mentioned the metabolic area.
Has anyone ever heard of Ventolin when being used during pregnancy to casue epilepsy etc in bub?
It seems quite strange to me. I can't seem to find much information other than he can cause bub to get a quick heart rate and high sugar and in some animals it can cause brain and skull diformaties.
It probably means nothing but as all the medico's are still searching for answers I might as well keep looking as well.
Donnajane

 

[Nakamova]

Ventolin is also called Albuterol in the US, in case that's rings a bell for anyone.

I did a little research, and as you says there's some small risk it might cause increased fetal heart rate and neonatal hypoglycemia (low, rather than high blood sugar). Neonatal hypoglycemia has symptoms that might be similar to your son's, but it's a condition that's routinely tested for and and treated quickly at birth. In rare cases it returns, but the symptoms would be pretty clear. If they showed up, your little guy would have been tested for low blood sugar.

Don't know if it's relevant or of interest -- you can read about it here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004559/

 

[Cint]

We were at an appointment with a group of specialised paedeatric Osteo's and one of them mentioned that they felt the Ventolin I was given to stop me going into labour may have been the start of my son's issues and they are probably metabolic?

I've never heard of Ventolin given to stop labour. I know it is a bronchodilator used for asthma patients as my son had a bad case of asthma while growing up and was using Ventolin and a nebulizer frequently.

 

[donnajane]

Thanks for the reply's. It is common for Ventolin to be given to help stop early labour, well in Australia anyway.
Interesting you should mention the sugar. My son was tested last week for sugar but the Paed didn't decide on doing the test until she saw us and he had eaten only 40min before so she said the test may not give any indication but would do it anyway.
He also had a test for prolactin levels and this came back normal still waiting on the sugar and another test result.
The search continues!!!!!

 

[difenbaker]

Donnajane,
I was on ventolin while I was pregnant with my now 30.5 month old son. Only thing I was allowed to take in my first trimester besides Tylenol. I had bronchitis at about 9-10 weeks in. Wasn't allowed an antibiotic until I hit 13 weeks. It was a rough few weeks to get there. But with my son other then having to have tubes put in his ears and an "asthmatic" wheeze he's 100% terrible twos. I would see what else the drs may think it is.
Hope that helps

 

[donnajane]

Thanks for the info. I have met quite a few women who were given Ventolin to help prevent early labour and I know so many who took it for Asthma while pregnant. I am looking into anything mentioned as all his specialists/dr's agree there is something not quite right but no one can really say what is causing his different seizures plus the other weird and wonderful things. I have said to his Dr's I feel like I should just stop and see what happens but all have so far said no as there is something definetly not right and they are worried if we stop looking it could affect the quality of his life later on. They are hoping they find the answer or he outgrows what is happening before they do.