The 9 plagues of The Nosurf Household

Since we came home from Ethiopia:

1) ringworm
2) lice
3) MayMay's strange joint-swelling-fever episode right after we got home
4) giardia
5) throat plague of death in Sept
6) Swine flu in October
7) throwuppy flu in November
8) Mice in late-nov, Dec, and January (and we still have 1 or two)
9) Asthma?? (Loli had an attack, and I'm almost positive MayMay either has chronic asthma or another more scary illness, but her tb and everything else came back negative).

Well, we're glad to be well. Honestly these last few months have given me a lot more understanding and sympathy to people who are sick all the time.

That having been said... any suggestions about the asthma? I've been told fish oil helps, humidifier helps (but only if it's carefully cleaned on a regular basis).

She mostly hacks and coughs at night when the kids are sleeping. She's coughed to the point of vomiting on a few occasions. She's got a (very cute) constantly hoarse voice and she'll cough once in a while during the day, and it sounds like she's got a lot of congestion when she does.

We're going through a period of bad air quality where I live, and I think that's exacerbating the syptoms right now.

Anyway, I have an inhaler from when Loli had her episode, and the Dr's have told me to try it on MayMay once and see what happens... if it clears her up pretty well then I'll know it *is* asthma. But I've been putting it off, trying it.

Any insights? Especially as to natural remedies that might help mitigate some of this.