If DS has croup again someone is going to get hurt

NewFamily09

He has had it 3 times in the past year.  On Wednesday, I babysat a 14 month old.  That morning, his dad said he had heard him cough a few times and that the mom noticed that he seemed cranky the day before.  He looked fine to me so I let him stay.  When I put him down for a nap that afternoon, he started a croup cough.  I recognized it right away and called the dad to come get him.  Meanwhile I disinfected the entire downstairs where he had played.  His mom later told me that the pediatrician confirmed that it was croup.  My DS is now taking a nap, but I've been hearing him cough.  I swear if he wakes up and can't breathe and we have to take him to urgent care AGAIN for croup I am going to scream my head off.  I'm not mad at the boy or his parents- they didn't know.  I'll just be freakin' pissed off that he has it for the 4th freakin' time in one year.  I think he gets it worse than other kids too, because when he gets it, it lasts several weeks, has to be put on several prescriptions, have breathing treatments, and has almost had to go to the ER a couple of times.  I hate the croup. 

MrsBeckO

Could he have reactive airways or asthma? 

DD's asthma is mostly reactive, where when she gets any kind of respiratory illness, it totally knocks her on her butt.

She is on nightly asthma meds that have been doing really well for her since March, but I am dreading the cold weather flu/croup/other breathing ailments season.

Hope your DS dodges this bullet. 

NewFamily09

Hmm, I've heard of reactive airway disease, but never occured to me that DS might have it.  All I know is he's gotten croup 3 times and he keeps the cough for about 3-4 weeks each time.  I think the last time he had it was better, maybe because we got medications that lasted several days, as opposed to just 1-2 doses.  I'll have to ask about this next time he's at the doctor.

pierogigirl

Last year DS had bronchitis 3 times, croup once, and pneumonia once.  One pedi thought it was a coughing type asthma and we treated with a nebulizer for several weeks to see if it made a difference.  It didn't. He just got over bronchitis 2 weeks ago and has a cold with cough now.  I took him to the pedi yesterday and he suggested we see an allergist to rule out allergies/asthma again.  I'm going to talk to our regular pedi (for sick visits you get whichever dr is available).

I know his cold will turn into bronchitis later this week.  It is really frustrating.  No advice, I just sympathize with your frustration.