First time croup in an 8yr old?**?

[babalon]

I was introduced to croup last winter when my DS2 about 6months old at the time had repeated attacks and had a few nights in hospital with.

Any how DS1(8) started with a barking cough yesterday. I thought that sounds like croup but seeing as he's big now and has never had it before that it couldn't be. But 4am this morning DS2 woke up with the tale tale cough and was really struggling to catch his breathe. So I took him to A and E where they gave him dexamethasone and we were home with a much improved DS about an hour later. He's been off school today but absolutely fine.
At about 5pm the cough came back and he has again got very distressed and says it hurts his ears and throat. DH has just taken him to A&E again. Last night his o2 sats were 84% and he looked a bit blue around the gills tonight aswell.

Has anyones older children got croup for the first time. Could it be something else (typical croup symptoms) I should have gone with him I'm only going to worry now but I'm knakered from last night and one of us needs to look after the other kids.

Any advice reasurrance welcome

DS2 had similar symptoms last October (he was 8 then).
He was hospitalised for a few days, and had steroids and was on a nebulizer etc.
Was diagnosed with asthma that was triggered by grass pollen - and we live in a rural area that was harvesting at the time.
It is now well controlled with inhalers.
I hope your DS feels better soon.

no, no asthma never really been ill at all.

I was expecting the baby to get it again not him, really out of the blue

Hi just thought I'd give an update.
Shortly after posting last message I got a phone call from DH saying that the Drs were transfering DS to a bigger local hospital. So I packed some stuff and off i went in the ambulance with him. Had a really bad night with him really barky cough confused unable to catch his breath. Dr saw him at about 10.30 friday morning approx 1 hr after his last lot of steriods and an nebuliser. He of course sounded fine and told me he shouldn't be in hospital at all and we could go home! I luckily refused as at about 7'45pm that night he had a respitory arrest and has been in ICU at leicester royal since a fri late night transfer. he is hopefully being excubated in the morning. Worst experience of my life! Especially the bit where him hit his head, stopped breathing and bleed all over me and the ward and I called for the crash team and trolley myself bagged him and did handover for the crash team!

thankyou kerrysmum

first time home since thursday and still unable to sleep! Dh with my boy i've come home to see the other 2 kids.

Can't believe this has happened DS1 has always been so well. If I'd taken him home he'd be dead

thankyou i will.
HYas your child been in icu with croupish symptoms? They now say it was a bacterial tracyitis. what are the long trm effects of ventilation or the mental effects of full on resus and icu placement?

I'm a staff nurse in theatres and recovery but don't do peads. I knew things weren't right hospital adopting wait and see methods ? freeing up beds. Just can't stop thinking about if I had gone home or it had been someone without medical knowledge

Long term effects of ventilation/ intubation should be very minimal if any at all. As for emergency resuscitation , I suspect your son wont remember what actually happened to him at the time, so unfortunately, the mental effects are mote likely to be longer lasting for you, than for your DS .

Most patients that survive resus, say they dont remember it, as not fully conscious. especially in the case of respiratory as the lack of oxygen makes you jolly confused, even if only a few seconds.

The most important thing was that he received oxygen quickly which it sound he did, due to you! this could have ben a longer lasting effect,should he not had oxygen for any more than 2 minutes.

I nearly had a resp arrest a few years ago, due to asthma and pnemonia. I remember feeling really unwell, and not being able to catch my breath and coughing relentlessly. I remember the crash team being called and hearing them running in, i just felt relieved when i heard them. next thing was i had a load of lines in and lots of holes where they'd tried! oh, and i was feeling a little better.

I really hope he improves soon, and you can have him home in the near future. you must be so shocked by it still. not something you ever wnant to see your children going through. best of luck

I hope i didnt sound too patronising, not intended. just tping as i was thinking really

skerry, I'm afraid i cant answer that... i'm not sure. It DOES ring a bell, and i've just done a quick search in a couple of my text books, and cannot find anything specific.... so in short, i'm not sure, sorry!

I will have another browse late on the web, its bugging me now

Thanks for your messages,

My boy is now back at our local hospital hopefully home tomorow when he finishes his iv antibiotics. He luckly doesn't remember anything about getting really poorly. Very weak but definately on the mend.

Definately bacterial tracheitis, hopefully won't get it again. Whole experience has made me realise whats important, just being a family.

Very cross with the original care that he received can't help thinking that he should never have been allowed to get so ill. The wait and see approach really waswn't right. The consultant who wanted to send him home is hiding from us at the hospital I wonder why . But hopefully it will meaqn that they will treat other children a bit more actively in future. Just thank god I didn't take him home