Q: My 4.3 years old daughter gets cold and coughs frequently. Till 3 years of age she was fine, but when she joined school, she started getting this problem. She has developed asthma too, though the attacks are not very frequent (once in 3-4 months), but she gets common cold almost every month. We do not have any family history of asthma or any respiratory problem. She is taking homeopathic and ayurvedic medicine regularly, and allopathic medicines on SOS basis. She is doing pranayama also. I came to know that flu vaccine might help in her case. What could be the proper treatment for her? Is it advisable to use flu vaccine?

A:Treatment to relieve the wheezing should be given as and when required. Salbutomol inhaler and a steroid inhaler may be necessary for long term control of wheezing. I would suggest you discuss this with your doctor. As regards flu vaccine: It is safe, it may help by decreasing the frequent respiratory infection that precipitate wheezing. It needs to be repeated annually if you find it helps.