Is irritability normal?
Albuterol delivered by metered-dose inhaler is commonly used to treat the acute symptoms of asthma. Albuterol, a short-acting bronchodilator, relaxes muscles that tighten around the airways during an acute asthma attack. But the drug does have potential side effects, including restlessness, irritability and nervousness. The side effects are more common with the liquid (oral) form of albuterol than with the inhaled form. Also, the risk of side effects increases with higher doses. Talk to your doctor about your child’s symptoms. Children may experience irritability or difficulty concentrating for a variety of reasons. Your doctor can evaluate whether the problem is related to the albuterol — or perhaps some other cause. If albuterol is the likely culprit, your doctor may recommend reducing the dose to see if this decreases the side effects while still controlling your daughter’s asthma. It may also be reasonable to switch your daughter to inhaled levalbuterol (Xopenex), a relative of alb
