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Original poster

Croup or Asthma...............Can anyone help??

15 replies

willdaisymummy · 04/02/2008 20:48

My DS (just turned 2)has had a bad chest on and off for a few months. About 3 weeks ago after a bad night with him coughing and wheezing I took him to my GP, she diagnosed croup, which I did suspect and recommended lots of steam and fresh air. It pretty much went after that until Thursday.........He woke up at about 9:30 in a state, coughing, wheezing and gagging. We tried the putting him in the bathroom full of steam but it didn't alter, I rang NHS Direct who listened to him and said we needed an ambulance, so off we went up to A&E (me in a mega panic. We were seen by the Doctor who gave him steroids and said it's either Croup or Asthma and we needed to see our GP to look into it further. I rang my surgery Friday morning and spoke to on of the Docs, he made me an apt for this morning. When I attended I saw a different GP as the one I'd had the telephone consultation with had rang in sick, she didn't seem overly worried about DS and said to keep an eye on him for the next few weeks, too many children get misdiagnosed with asthma when they've just had lots of colds/coughs/viral infections so we need to see how he goes. I do appreciate what she's saying, but I'm still worried, I don't know what to do if he gets in a really bad state again. The steam did nothing last time........Any suggestions anyone??

OP posts:

emkana · 04/02/2008 20:50

Have you been given an inhaler?

If not I think you should go back and ask for the blue inhaler (reliever) which could help when your ds is wheezing.

Wendyjayb · 04/02/2008 20:52

My ds has cronic asthma and if your not happy with what the doc has told you then ask for a 2nd opinion
When there so little it's impossible for them to tell you when there chest starts tightening so by the time you realise theres nothing you can do except a trip to A&E which in my experience leads to a hospital stay
Hope you get some answers x

princessmel · 04/02/2008 20:53

Hi, my ds has asthma and my dd has had croup a few times.

Suggestions to ease the coughing are
-raise the head end of the bed
-put albas oil or karvol on a hankie near his pillow
-Get a humidfier if you can afford one, we have the cheapest one from Argos and it does help. Especially with Croup.

BUT I'd go back in the next few days , not weeks, if he's still the same.
I had to wait months for an inhaler for ds after persistent visits to the doctors . He got one at 18months in the end and he was better instantly.

I have a thread on him at the moment as he's particularly bad .

Wendyjayb · 04/02/2008 20:53

You want the brown pump really as it's a preventor, the blue one should be used when you hear weezing

princessmel · 04/02/2008 20:55

Yes, we had a brown one first to use morning and night . Then after a year or so he had a blue one for when he's bad. Now he has a purple one.

StressTeddy · 04/02/2008 20:57

If it happens again try to get him to lie on his side and put his arm (that's nearest the ceiling) above his head. This will open his airways and can help breathing process. All the time stroking him and telling him to calm down.
I understand that Asthma cannot be easily diagnosed at this age and that GP's will mostly go on anecdotal evidence from parents
Try to look out for things that may give evidence to you and your GP. Wheezing after exercise, coughing in a stuffy room etc

Love to you and your ds
Hope it doesn't happen again and that this is a one off

MegaLegs · 04/02/2008 20:58

My DS3 had a frightening dose of croup back in December. Very raspy breathing, recessive breathing ( when the nose flares and the chest is sucked in). And barking sea lion type cough. Spent night in hospital with two doses of steroids administered through a nebuliser. Nothing since and nothing like it before.

DS1 does have asthma (although he appears to be growing out of it). His attacks involve a dryer cough, not barking and very little actual wheezing. He has only had two big attacks and they were quieter than the croup attack that DS3 had.

Don't know if this is helpful as I'm sure people experience asthma in different ways.

Croup effects the larynx, voice box and so the wheeze is louder where as asthma seems to be further down the airway and the wheeze is less pronounced. IME.

Does this match anyone elses experience?

Original poster

willdaisymummy · 04/02/2008 21:04

No we weren't given anything. The GP I spoke to on the phone is the piediatric (sp?) specialist at the surgery so I really wanted to see him. I think I'll try to get an apt with him later in the week see what he says and I'll get a humidifier tomorrow. I had bronchal asthma as a child and I was told it can be hereditary, although mine was attributed to my Grandma dying and me taking it very badly (am a sensitive soul) Thanks for your suggestions, it's so scary hearing him like that. Hope your DSs better soon princessmel, poor little thing.

OP posts:

princessmel · 04/02/2008 21:06

Good idea.

The humidfier is used alot. It does make the windows all wet on the inside though, and the floor wet. Put towels down.

Hope your ds feels better aswell.

StressTeddy · 04/02/2008 21:08

Other top tips for anything "chesty"

No carpets in bedroom
Hoover every day
No soft toys in bedroom
Open window every day
Wash bedding as often as you can stand

All options quite hard on you but they do work

MegaLegs · 04/02/2008 21:12

Also - don't 'make' the bed. Leave duvet to air and let mattress and sheet 'dry' out.

DS1 is in a bunk bed so I hang his duvet over the bed rail in the day.

Original poster

willdaisymummy · 04/02/2008 21:19

Will try those thanks, I'd have no chance of removing his soft toys, he adores his teds but he does have wooden flooring so that's something. I'll stop making his bed (any excuse) and I've stoped using any sort of cleaning products in his room even on his windows.

OP posts:

MegaLegs · 04/02/2008 21:22

If he can't be parted from the soft toys keep them to a minimum and put then in the freezer now and again to kill off the dust mites.

princessmel · 04/02/2008 21:45

And take the toys out of the bed in the day.

summer111 · 05/02/2008 16:21

dd had bad croup as a toddler and I always took her out into cold air which relieved it quickly - I was advised to do this at an A&E dept in Canada!
However my GP immediately said she had asthma and prescribed an inhaler which I was reluctant to give her. (I didn't think her diagnosis was correct - just a mother's instinct I suppose) In the end, I was proved right as it was just croup - she'd have a couple of bouts every year and grew out of it by the time she reached 7yrs. It always came on when she had a headcold and it wasn't ever precipitated by exercise.
Get another opinion and then take it from there

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