Croup?

[ChablisLover]

So ds bad cough is back again.

We've had it on and off since October. He's had 3 courses of anti biotics with the last finishing on Monday.

His cough is like a bark and worse at night and lying down. Also worse when excited or crying.

He also had asthma.

Am now thinking symptoms sound like croup.

Breathing lying beside me now is quite raspy

Does this sound like croup or could it just be cough/cold made worse by asthma?

Slowly going mad as this has lasted 2 months on and off. We seem to have good few days and then the cough returns. We had about 4 days no coughing last week and it started again yesterday.

No real temperature but has a runny nose.

All suggestions and treatment ideas welcomed.

With croup taking him out into the cold air can help alleviate symptoms although croup doesn't last as long I don't think. When DS had it we were told to expect it to be better within 3 days.

Is his asthma controlled at the moment?

Some 40 years ago my sister had croup quite regularly. We used to put Stockholm Tar in a bowl of hot water in her bedroom. An old doctor recommended it and it did work.

Thought cold air would be worse. It's a hot steamy room. Go into the bathroom and put hot taps and hot shower on.

I found the croup cough very distinctive. Although he'd been coughing all day as soon as I heard him cough at night I knew what it was.

Ds1 gets croup at least once a year and I kind of think if it was croup you wouldn't need to ask it is very distinctive and you would know.
Cold air is excellent for croup it is often more effective than steaming. Steaming does work too and I have been known to take the kettle upstairs and shut his bedroom door and boil and boil. Until we're in a sauna like room.

Thanks all

The cough is more like a bark so that's what leading me to think croup.

Think if it gets worse it's the out of hours doctors for us.

If this has been going on for two months it sounds like his asthma may not be under control - when did you last see his asthma nurse?

Steaming rooms are not always recommended for asthma - dd's is linked to allergies and high humidity aggregates it rather than making it better.

aggrevates

We are using brown inhalers 3 times a day and blue when required.

We last seen asthma nurse in October and he's had his flu jab.

Asthma nurse mentioned a tablet and so did last doctor we seen to take for asthma but can't remember name.

Wondering if we should try that after holidays

Montelukast? (aka Singulair)

Dd's asthma has been much better controlled since she started the Montelukast. I'd certainly go back to the GP/asthma nurse and see about adding in or possibly changing meds. It's also a really good idea to keep a symptoms diary ^so that you can give them a better look at the overall control/symptoms.

I'm sorry your ds isn't very well, especially over Xmas. There is a thread for parents of children with asthma (used to be called "Watchers and Waiters) in either general health or children's health.
It's a great thread for support from those in a similar position (those
long nights of watching and waiting to see which way things are going
to go), sorry I can't find and link as out and about.

I hope your ds is feeling better soon :)

Croup does have that characteristic barking cough, so it could be that. When DS had severe croup he was given steroid tablets at the doctors (tiny vile-tasting pink tablets you dissolve in water) which cleared it up quickly.

Mrsples that's the one.

Must make appointment next week for this.
Saying that it is not holding him back today and we are getting excited about santa

Will check out the thread too.

No one else in the family has asthma so kinda blind leading the blind.

Part of me thinks it is a croup type infection which aggravates the asthma so need to find and treat the cause and that would help asthma in turn

Do come to the asthma thread it's very useful!

They are talking about starting Ds on that in the new year as max brown isn't doing much!

Hope he feels well enough tomorrow x

Sirzy will try and find it. Currently using app as laptop about to die. Hoping Santa will bring a new one. and will be able to search.

We've been told to try it if this doesn't seem to settle ( and it diesn't appear to be).

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/1304963-Can-we-start-a-new-asthma-support-thread-now-dreaded-winter-season-is-looming hope that works on the app!

Thanks.

Can't open on phone - will wait until tomorrow