Croup and query asthma - your experiences?

[Rouge]

This I am very experienced with. DS was cronic with croup and now has asthma. Around 4 is when it starts to present, so if it is asthma you will know. DD had eczema really bad and then had REAL bad asthma, and now only gets it on and off. DS had no allergies, real bad croup and now has asthma that seems to be pretty persistent where as DD's will only come up if there is a sudden change in weather. I would go by the Dr's advice and wait and see iykwim. If it is asthma the sooner you get him on a preventer the better, but if he's on predmix he should be ok. DS atm is on predmix, seretide and ventolin the poor kid. And he's going through another bad bout after a bad one about a week ago

[Epacris]

My DS was born with a funny wheezy cough. The paed that saw him at his 4 month check was concerned enough to get chest x-rays just as base line information, apparently he was way too young to diagnose anything at that stage, everything is still so immature. DS had an absolutely terrible winter with croup when he was around 18 months old, his first winter not being breastfed. There was lots of talk of possible asthma then too but apparently still too young to diagnose. Now that he’s 3.5 he still does get a wheezy cough every now and again and we do have ventolin but he is hopeless with it (hooray for your DS with his ventolin and spacer Belfie, well done!) and it’s really not that bad. It comes and goes intermittently and doesn’t really seem to bother DS all that much. Anyway, he’s never been as bad as that winter when he was 18 months. It’s something that we’re keeping an eye on but aren’t overly worried about and DS’s Dr is sure he’ll grow out of it.

Huge hugs to you and your DS. I hope things improve like they have for us.

And Rouge, just an extra warm hug for your DS too.

[*Beema*]

It is horrible to see them struggle so much

DD's story in short, she had 9 respiratory infections last winter, starting with two bouts of croup the second starting exactly a fortnight after the first, she then had bouts of Brochiolitis, Croup again and ended up being admitted to hospital with Pneumonitis (Parent to Pneumonia), it was at that point that they looked into her respiratory history more (Note it was April when it all started and her first admission in September), she had a Chronic cough since April. They undertook x-rays and a range of tests and on the x-rays noted two things, the Pneumonitis and that part of her right lung was not inflated (called Atelectasis of the lung) or it was Cystic Fibrosis, they also diagnosed her with Chronic Mild Asthma at 15 months of age or 13 months corrected, but said it wouldn't be official until she was two (but it is on all her records and they always note it on admissions). They diagnosed the Asthma as she was responding to Ventolin. She was on a combination of Venotlin, Prednisolone and Oxygen. She then went through the testing for Cystic fibrosis which thakfully came back clear, so they confirmed that the damage to her right lung was either caused due to her prematurity (7 weeks early) or it was from one of the respiratory infections she received earlier in the autumn/winter, we will never know the cause. She had two more admissions after that, needing Oxygen, with the last being just the common cold.

We had a good break over the early months of this year, spring and early summer was still harsh, with us only just avoiding admission on Christmas Eve.

The Chronic cough returned in March, but she stayed away from any illnesses until more recently, we have to keep a diary for her Dr's and Peadiatricians, so whenever she has an admission or appointment they know what is happening, She had a particularly bad hit just over a week ago, just avoiding another admission, and she was put on Flixotide, morning and night (for the rest of the year until the cough settles), continued the Ventolin 6 puffs, 2-4 hourly, if we get to 2 hourly and it isn't working we have to take her in, and Prednisoline, she has already have a 5 day course and it too all of that for it to actually start making a difference. She has a traecheal tug (where the skin at the base of the neck goes in when breathing), and unlike most she actually develops the traecheal tug before chest recessions, but we know that we can stay at home with the tug if it isn't too deep, where as most babies need to go in to Hospital.

What I can say is that it is sooo much easier when you have Ventolin and you can deal with the condition at home, but if you are ever unsure seek help through your Dr or local Childrens Hospital, I can go through in more detail all of the signs and symptoms that can help, but it take time to understand what is normal for your child as well. I am a lot more confident this winter as I know what to expect, I wouldn't be surprised if DD ends up being admitted late winter early spring as it is a lot harsher then winter, but we know now what we can treat at home and when we can't.

Take care hun, big , also lots of for all the other mums who have psoted in this thread I hope your babe's have a gentle winter and spring and not too many nasties xxoo

[Schmickers]

There's not necessarily any link between croup and asthma, but there is between allergy-type disorders, like food allergies and eczema. Croup is caused by an infection of the voice box, whereas asthma isn't really caused by an infection, but more by an over-sensitive immune reaction in the lining of the airways (although, that said, it can often be exacerbated by an infection).

Given his history, I'd say your little man is on the road to being asthmatic, but time will tell. At this age, even non-asthmatic children will develop asthma-like symptoms (wheezing, shortness of breath) when they have respiratory tract infections.

[*Ali*]

MY DS has suffered with this for the last couple of years, I was told like some of the others that asthma is not diagnosed under 2 and even then they are reluctant to diagnose so young because the airways are still developing. THe hospital told me that it is a post viral wheeze that can be associated with croup, as often for us it starts with the croup cough and then the asthma like symptoms come on top. Most time we have been able to get it under control quite rapidly with a dose of oral steroids and a few days of ventolin. So far this winter (knock on wood) we havent had any dramas, so I am hoping that for us it is something that he will grow out of, I guess only time will tell.

[Trillian]

All 4 of mine get croup to varying degrees - DD1 used to get it particularly bad and even at nearly 8 she had a day off school a few weeks back because she woke up with a croupy cough. However, none of them have asthma at all. DD1 did get Bronchiolitis at 9months old and DD2 had pneumonia when she was 4 but that's it. So there is a chance that he may not, but considering the other issues that are being looked at, it sounds like he will eventually be diagnosed with it.

[belfie]

Thank you all for the informative and helpful replies - I really appreciate it!

Trillian - it's nice to know that some don't end up with asthma at all, I will cross my fingers. So saying, as others have said, based on his history I do think it's likely he may get it. On the bright side, DH has asthma, my sis has asthma, we know what to do and what to watch for - which hopefully means it we can be forewarned and prepared and not let it get too bad.

Ali - i hope your little fellow does grow out of it too. I'm intrigued that the hospital has commented on the association with croup, with ours the wheeze was probably at it's worst half a week in - seemed to come with the croup (but we're not really after the croup yet, so will be interesting to see). And I see another little one due in Oct, congrats

Schmickers - thanks for the info that was nice & clear, and made lots of sense! I think it's all helping me come to terms with the risk of him getting it.

Beema - hun you are such a sweetie posting when I know you had a big day on friday yourself! Sending those right back atcha! You have had a tough road, and I realise how lucky we are that DS has had only this 1 bout so far, your poor little one has had a rough time of it (but so glad for you too that it's not cystic fibrosis!). I'm also going to talk more to the doctor about exactly what to look for (as he didn't really explain that!), and I didn't really observe the difference between the tracheal tug vs the chest recession - but I know the doc did, cos he wanted DS to wander around his rooms with no top on for a bit (lucky they were nice & warm rooms). But I definitely agree that having ventolin on hand and being used to using it is good.

Epacris - oooh now what you said struck a chord, first winter with no EBM could be significant for my little man too. Plus DH just got over a chest infection too... (we're a healthy lot at the moment - NOT!). I'm glad your DS seems to be growing out of it (that's tough when he's no good with the ventolin) and no sign of it in your DD?

Rouge - sounds like it's really variable, that just cos they start bad with it, they won't necessarily stay chronic & vice versa. Goes to show that you can't really predict the future huh.

As for us, well he's still on the ventolin and mostly taking it well (a bit of Wiggles/Night Garden goes a long way!). He's still getting puffed and coughing on exertion as you'd expect I guess. We were given the option to put him back on the predmix for a dose or two if we thought he needed it, but we've managed not to, and I think he's doing ok. As a side bonus the predmix has really improved the eczema on his face (he's under control pretty much everywhere else). But otherwise definitely seems more well in himself, no temps, eating better, better poops etc. I'm expecting the cough could linger a bit. Will be interested to see what the doc says on Tuesdays review. And this thread has definitely helped me to mentally prepare for quite some time of "maybe" asthma talk, so thank you all. I think my DH finds it a bit harder to deal with as he's the one with eczema/asthma, so it's a nasty feeling seeing the same things coming out in your kids. And my only whinge? Of course I've now caught the same bug... arrrgh the joys of catching everything when you're preggers!