chronic croup

[lisa125]

My son is six years old and he has had croup with stridor every other month since he was four months old.  His latest episode was last night when he woke up in the middle of the night with stridor - where he cannot even speak and he can't breathe and he just makes a wheezing sound with every intake of breath.  When this occurs, I drive as quickly as I can to the ER where they give him racemic epinephrine and dexamethasone.  He has had a complete work-up with ENT and lung doctors at CHOP as well as allergists.  The conclusion is that this is just something that he will eventually outgrow.  It is very terrifying for him and I notice that it not only occurs with an upper respiratory infection, but the humidity and the "bad air days" in the summer can give him a severe case of croup.  


This discussion is related to Chronic Croup?.

[Danamarie24]

My five year old son exhibits exactly what you described.  I wax wondering if you found and resolution or did he eventually outgrow it. This had been going on since he is 1, with frequency and symptoms getting worse with age instead of better. He's on all sorts of allergy and asthma medicine which do not deter his croup. Now we are being advised to have chest X-rays and a bronchoscopy performed. Did your son have these done and did it resolve anything?

[Nat074]

Hi,

My son has just come out of Intensive Care for the second time and has severe croup. I too am looking for answers. He has seen an ENT, cardiologist, respiratory specialist all with no answers. I can't sleep at night for fear of an attack. He is on pulmicort nebs twice a day, Intal forte, nasonex and maybe singulair if decided by drs this week. Any advice would be so welcomed. Thanks, Natalie

[michellecrews]

My daughter is 8.  We go through croup with her about 3-4 times a year, since a really bad episode at age 2.  We have a breathing machine (albuterol), and go on steroids when things get really bad...like her current episode.   ENT says she is fine, however ped says it is a congenital problem that she may or may not outgrow.  Reflux has also been mentioned, but I want a concrete answer.  Please let me know what results you find, and what type of doctor you are seeing.

[krob11]

My son too has chronic croup.  He is now 8 years old and is suffering from it since he's been 2.  Doctors have diagonosed him as having asthma.  I went to an ENT and he said he is fine.  I went to a allergist and he is allergic to Dust....however he only get episodes of Croup during October through Feb.  I'm really fustrated and confused, he is on Flovent twice a day, flonase twice a day, albuterol as needed and steroids when his croup is bad which is likely 3-4 times a year.  I've recently read an article on reflux and how it relates to croup I now am going to see a specialist in that field and hope I can have some anwsers!!!  Hospital visits are too common in my home and I want to know WHY!!!!  Good Luck and I will  let you know how it goes!