Croup

yellow hen

Mods, this isnt a medical discussion, more just a general chat about croup.

Just curious if anyone elses toddler is really prone to croup? Our two year old is back wheezing and barking. I'd say he has an ear infection in both ears too. This is about our 5th bout of it in 12 months. He's tested allergic to mould, cats/dogs and dust which is classicly asthmatic but when we end up in Crumlin at these times, they usually say it's croup. I actually feel quite depressed when I see it coming again as there really isnt anything we can do to prevent it (it's been on various preventative and reactionary). Just wondering if there's anyone else who goes through the same. Apparently it's every 3 in 100 so someone on boards must have a croupy kid

Rosy Posy

My son suffered from it quite a lot in his first and second year. He hasn't had it at all since he's turned three so fingers crossed he's growing out of it. It can be quite scary. I have a friend who's son had it and ended up calling an ambulance the first time. She was a single mum on her own at home and freaked out. Something weird I've noticed since my son stopped getting it is that if he gets really upset and is crying sometimes his lips go blue, and once he actually passed out! I have no idea if it's related. Hang in there, fingers crossed he will get over it.

hotshots85

yellow hen wrote: »

Mods, this isnt a medical discussion, more just a general chat about croup.

Just curious if anyone elses toddler is really prone to croup? Our two year old is back wheezing and barking. I'd say he has an ear infection in both ears too. This is about our 5th bout of it in 12 months. He's tested allergic to mould, cats/dogs and dust which is classicly asthmatic but when we end up in Crumlin at these times, they usually say it's croup. I actually feel quite depressed when I see it coming again as there really isnt anything we can do to prevent it (it's been on various preventative and reactionary). Just wondering if there's anyone else who goes through the same. Apparently it's every 3 in 100 so someone on boards must have a croupy kid

Yeah our little fella Is four now but has had a rough 18 months of it same as yours. Our doctor says that once he got it it can just stick around so any cold or cough will go straight to croup. Any cough gets so bad he would be sick as well. He's on two inhalers now 4 times a day but it does seem to be keeping it at bay, has had more steroids this year than a body builder!

I know how you feel about feeling depressed when you hear it, our hearts sink when we hear the cough starting again.

Hoping he will grow out of it as well

yellow hen

Oh thanks guys. It's great (for us!) to hear that other people experience the same. Our son is on his 3rd oral steroid in 2 months which frightens me but the inhalers werent working. We've now moved onto Flixotide so praying that helps. We're attending a private respiratory consultant but our experience there to date is just woeful. He just keeps saying it's asthma (even though he previously told us that it's too early to diagnose asthma). My fear is that we are pumping drugs into our son unnecessarily.

Rosy Posy

yellow hen wrote: »

He just keeps saying it's asthma (even though he previously told us that it's too early to diagnose asthma). My fear is that we are pumping drugs into our son unnecessarily.

I had that same confusion. Apparently there is a difference between asthma that comes with a cold and chronic asthma which is only diagnosed later? Afaik 'asthma' is just a medical description of the symptoms. I was also concerned about the drugs aspect- we try to be as hands off and natural as possible- but we did use the inhaler and steroids a few times. The stupid thing was that the steroids made him hyper which made his breathing worse! The biggest challenge was stopping him from running around. I would make a 'nest' in the bed with lots of little toys and books and we'd cuddle up together and play and read and do songs and rhymes. CDs of nursery rhymes and songs were good too. Thank goodness he grew out of it before the baby was mobile!

pwurple

Not croup, but our eldest was prone to respiratory issues alright from age 2 -3. Every time she got a cold, chest infection (or pneumonia) would follow.

They diagnosed it as respiratory induced wheeze, which... (as usual with medical terminology) is just a description of it. Her immune system over-reacted to viruses.


Treatment is the same for that as for asthma.

So the preventor inhalor (brown one) if she got the tiniest start of anything like a cold... even a runny nose. And if it did take hold, the blue inhalor (Ventolin). It's been 14 months since we got those inhalors, with zero trips to the doctor since. I don't know if she has just grown out of it, or if the treatment is working, but we're a million miles from where we were last year with her.

I also went back to the vitamin D drops in the winter for her, I don't know did that help as well? Can't tell.


We actually had the opposite experience with hyperness, she got really pepped up on the ventolin(blue), but the steroid (brown one) had no affect on her at all. We weren't even sure it was working!


I had the same concerns about giving her medication as often as that, but the consultant and the GP both assured me it's almost impossible to overdose on them, and that they are very safe. I'd rather the medication than lung damage.

mirrorwall14

As an adult asthmatic (and the (much) older sister of a brother who had horrible croup) can I just emphasise how important the preventer inhalers are. If they are not working go back and ask for a change of type/dosage. Unstable asthma or chest issues are a pain. The amount of steroid in the inhalers is minimal and far better than ending up on oral steroids.

Ask for an 'action plan'. What do I do when x happens. It's much easier on you and them when you know exactly what the plan is

Eg (Not medical advice-for demo purposes only!!)
When stable: daily one dose of preventer morning and evening

When runny nose: increase to two puffs preventer morning/evening. If no relief in X period of time see doc for possible oral steroids

When cough (slight): use reliever inhaler and preventer as above. If no relief in X period of time see doc for possible oral steroids

When cough (severe): use reliever/preventer as above and start nebulizer. If no relief in X period of time see doc for possible oral steroids


Oh and in a pinch in a coughing fit sit in the bathroom with the shower on or put some hot water in a bottle, pierce holes in the air and breath through it. The novelty can help calm kids too.

ThisRegard

It might be worth looking into salt therapy for croup, helped our daughter when she was younger with it.

yellow hen

Sorry, I'm only actually getting a chance to reply to all your comments now. It has been the sh**iest week ever. I have a chest infection and the little guy is only beginning to pull through this episode now. Mirrorwall, thanks for the breakdown on when to step up the inhalers/meds. It's actually really useful to see it written with such clarity. We were at the docs on Thursday to get an antibiotic for ear infections (they usually go with the turf) and i asked her about the labelling of his episodes as asthma, bronchiolotis or croup. She said the labelling doesn't really matter at this point as the symptoms are usually the same and he is in respiratory distress so the treatment is inhalers/steroids irrespective of what we call it. I'm praying the flixotide stablises him a bit.

@thisregard, we actually bought a salt therapy air purifier and it's on in his room every night but doesn't seem to help. http://www.mccabespharmacy.com/content/salt-therapy-ireland/

We need to consider taking him to an ENT specialist as:
1. I think he may have difficulties with his hearing. He's 2 now and has only 2 words and can be really slow to respond to calls. Will an ENT specialist do audiology testing?
2. As I said, he usually gets ear infections with the respiratory distress which concerns me a bit.

Has anyone had audiology testing done? I believe the wait list for the public system is really long so if an ENT specialist, I'd rather go to them as they will look at him more comprehensively rather than just consider his hearing.

mirrorwall14

Yellow hen please note I'm not a doctor or anything medical related, as I said that descriptor was just to give you an idea what to ask the doc!!

yellow hen

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Yellow hen please note I'm not a doctor or anything medical related, as I said that descriptor was just to give you an idea what to ask the doc!!

Oh, I completely accept that and I know that medical advice is not allowed on this forum.

cyning

Yellow Hen we've avoided croup but my little girl got grommets a few weeks ago at 11 months after repeated ear infections: no allergies, but has had quite a few resp infections (pneumonia @ 4 weeks), is on Atrovant three times a day and Singulair at night. 8 ear infections in 10 months and repeated infections. They won't diagnose asthma yet but I've got a yes to the question are we heading down that road.

My ENT said she's more than likely on something called the Allergic March.... It finishes in asthma! Wants her allergy tests repeated at 3. I don't know if they do hearing tests but I do know that one of the factors was at 11 months her speech had regressed and wasn't babbling anymore. He also said the fact she was getting ear infections on a prophylactic antibiotic was enough for him. So if you have health insurance I would definitely go privately. She's come on in leaps and bounds since the grommets: she says mama & dada now and took her first steps: I think her balance was affected too.

yellow hen

cyning wrote: »

Yellow Hen we've avoided croup but my little girl got grommets a few weeks ago at 11 months after repeated ear infections: no allergies, but has had quite a few resp infections (pneumonia @ 4 weeks), is on Atrovant three times a day and Singulair at night. 8 ear infections in 10 months and repeated infections. They won't diagnose asthma yet but I've got a yes to the question are we heading down that road.

My ENT said she's more than likely on something called the Allergic March.... It finishes in asthma! Wants her allergy tests repeated at 3. I don't know if they do hearing tests but I do know that one of the factors was at 11 months her speech had regressed and wasn't babbling anymore. He also said the fact she was getting ear infections on a prophylactic antibiotic was enough for him. So if you have health insurance I would definitely go privately. She's come on in leaps and bounds since the grommets: she says mama & dada now and took her first steps: I think her balance was affected too.

Cyning that's really interesting. Can I ask where you attended? my guy sounds so similar to your little girl. Great to hear she's doing so well now!

cyning

I'm in Kerry YH so went to an ENT privately in Limerick so not sure if that's any good? She's had one ear infection within a few days of them which can happen, and has tonsilitis this week which is vaccine related but is no where near as sick as she had been previously