Nine year olds CAN get croup after all! ~ Or Maybe Whooping Cough?

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I had croup as an adult! I was in my 20's and was totally surprised by the diagnosis, and the dr. even encouraged me to get a second opinion because he said it was very unusual for an adult to have croup. So I went to a different dr., and she gave me the same diagnosis - it was croup alright.

My family has never let me live it down that I had a "baby disease" in my 20's. Of course the really bizarre thing is that I had gout just a few months later - went from a so-called "baby disease" to a so-called "old person disease".

Hope your son is feeling better soon!

 

[BabyPiglet]

I hope the little guy starts feeling like himself again soon.

 

[momof2inPA]

You "can" do something for this, whether it's croup or a virus. Use a nebulizer at home and take orapred. Why didn't any doctors prescribe these? My seven year old had croup this year; he get's it every year. Why are they making your son suffer like this when they could actually treat him?

 

[Magpie]

You "can" do something for this, whether it's croup or a virus. Use a nebulizer at home and take orapred. Why didn't any doctors prescribe these? My seven year old had croup this year; he get's it every year. Why are they making your son suffer like this when they could actually treat him?

I'd love to know! Because he was REALLY suffering yesterday, and all I could think was this can't be good for a person. You shouldn't have to fight for every breath for days straight!

But the doctor said there are serious side effects to the medication available and because he was an older kid, and because she was convinced this was a virus, he was better off not taking it.

We spent a lot of time yesterday sitting on the porch wrapped up in blankets. *I* wasn't comfortable, so I doubt he was.

But his breathing is so much better today - he's settling into just short intermittent coughing jags, with no problems in between. Actually... right now he's asleep again. After the last three days, I think he's got a lot to catch up on.

Right now I'm... not impressed with the medical establishment to say the least.

 

[Magpie]

I had croup as an adult! I was in my 20's and was totally surprised by the diagnosis, and the dr. even encouraged me to get a second opinion because he said it was very unusual for an adult to have croup. So I went to a different dr., and she gave me the same diagnosis - it was croup alright.

My family has never let me live it down that I had a "baby disease" in my 20's. Of course the really bizarre thing is that I had gout just a few months later - went from a so-called "baby disease" to a so-called "old person disease".

Hope your son is feeling better soon!

That's too funny! I mean, it's painful and unfortunate, too, but... Sometimes, what can you do but laugh? Sorry you had to go through that, but thank you very much for the sympathy!

I hope the little guy starts feeling like himself again soon.

Thanks! He is beginning to feel better. He's sleeping! Yesterday I was all prepared to cancel his birthday party on Sunday, but today I felt confident enough that I went ahead and sent the invites to school with his sister. I'm going to call all the parents and let them know he's been sick, and he'll probably still be coughing. He shouldn't be too contagious by then, no matter what he has. The two parents I've talked to so far don't seem too concerned.

I appreciate the good wishes!

 

[minkydog]

has he been tested for whooping cough? Despite what the office nurse(and I use that term loosely, she sounds like a piece of work) says, 9year olds can and do get whooping cough. They also can get croup. My oldest was 17 the last time he had it. Do you know what that croup cough sounds like in a 17yo boy? like a Saint Bernard!

I'm actually kind of concerned that this nurse/telephone-answerer seems to be putting you off like this. It seems like she is running interference. I wonder if the doctors know she is giving out phone advice and discouraging parents from bringing their kids in.(and No, the ER is not just trying to "cover their butts." The care you receive in the ER is exactly that--care during an emergency. It does not take the place of the care you receive from a doctor who knows you and can follow up on any new problems) I would give some consideration to discussing the office staff practices with your pediatrician. If they have told her to do this, you need to think hard about whether you need to stay with this group.

Just my 2cents. You may take it or flush it. Hope your little boy feels better soon.

 

[Magpie]

has he been tested for whooping cough? Despite what the office nurse(and I use that term loosely, she sounds like a piece of work) says, 9year olds can and do get whooping cough. They also can get croup. My oldest was 17 the last time he had it. Do you know what that croup cough sounds like in a 17yo boy? like a Saint Bernard!

I'm actually kind of concerned that this nurse/telephone-answerer seems to be putting you off like this. It seems like she is running interference. I wonder if the doctors know she is giving out phone advice and discouraging parents from bringing their kids in.(and No, the ER is not just trying to "cover their butts." The care you receive in the ER is exactly that--care during an emergency. It does not take the place of the care you receive from a doctor who knows you and can follow up on any new problems) I would give some consideration to discussing the office staff practices with your pediatrician. If they have told her to do this, you need to think hard about whether you need to stay with this group.

Just my 2cents. You may take it or flush it. Hope your little boy feels better soon.

I definitely think she's running interference. I suspect she may just being doing what she's told... I've always had a hard time getting ahold of this doctor. I think they count on the Afterhours clinic to cover for them most of the time.

I did get past her though when I pointed out that we're going to be flying in a few weeks and I *need* to know if there's fluid in the kid's ears and to get him on a decongestant for the trip. So she's made an appointment for me, and I do intend to bring up *all* my concerns with the doctor. I'm also planning to stick around the office until they hear him cough (assuming he's still doing it by then).

My mother remembers having the same trouble getting a doctor to see me when I was a kid. So she'd flat out lie and tell them I had a high fever, even when I didn't. When we got there and I had no fever she'd shrug and say, "I guess it broke!" Her instincts never failed though, I was always sick with *something*!

Unfortunately, a virologist friend of mine has told me that it's difficult to test for Whooping Cough. It's apparently a very sneaky little bacterium.

 

[floridafam]

I hope he's feeling better.

I wonder why they would be so certain it's not whooping cough without looking at him. There have been cases of it recently according to some news show that was on a few weeks ago.

Our son (11) still gets the croup but not as frequently as he did when he was younger. I think he got steroids the last time he had it and I don't remember anything bad happening.

 

[EthansMom]

I definitely think she's running interference. I suspect she may just being doing what she's told... I've always had a hard time getting ahold of this doctor. I think they count on the Afterhours clinic to cover for them most of the time.

That's insane! I have NEVER had a pediatrician's office (and I've had a few) that would not give me an appointment THAT DAY if I told them my child was ill... or the next day if it wasn't a pressing issue (like a rash).

I'd be looking for another dr. immediately. A diagnosis on the phone by a receptionist is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

I'm still shocked that your son wasn't at least given Orapred. My kids have viral-induced asthma. When my DS6 gets croup, he gets Orapred, Pulmicort (via nebulizer), and albuterol (via nebulizer). This year, I got smart and got another nebulizer, which was wonderful when DS recently had pneumonia at the same time DD3.5 had bronchitis - I was giving them each a breathing treatment every 4 hours for over a week.

I hope your son is feeling better soon!

 

[wilderness01]

That's insane! I have NEVER had a pediatrician's office (and I've had a few) that would not give me an appointment THAT DAY if I told them my child was ill... or the next day if it wasn't a pressing issue (like a rash).

I'd be looking for another dr. immediately. A diagnosis on the phone by a receptionist is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

I'm still shocked that your son wasn't at least given Orapred. My kids have viral-induced asthma. When my DS6 gets croup, he gets Orapred, Pulmicort (via nebulizer), and albuterol (via nebulizer). This year, I got smart and got another nebulizer, which was wonderful when DS recently had pneumonia at the same time DD3.5 had bronchitis - I was giving them each a breathing treatment every 4 hours for over a week.

I hope your son is feeling better soon!

I agree and would be switching doctors if he is aware of his nurse running interference.

Yes, before you asked me about the breathing rec. epi. That is epinephrine through the mask.

You should have received a shot of steroids and then been put on orapred to open up his airway.

Believe me, it is much worse to not take the orapred than to take the orapred. As long as you aren't on it long term, it does more good than harm.

 

[Magpie]

Thanks everyone! I will definitely be considering this, though switching doctors isn't easy in this town. We're honestly lucky just to *have* a family doctor. A lot of people are stuck using clinics for everything because they can't find anyone to take them. I know my doctor has stopped taking new patients, and so has my eye doctor.

But I will think about everything you've said very seriously! I appreciate all the advice.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

We just went through something similar with DD 10 and it was very frustrating. They originally diagnosed her with croup, and the cough just didn't go away. The 1st antibiotic she was given was Biaxin which just gave her horrible stomach pains. After 4 visits to the pediatrician (different docs in the same practice), we finally got some medicine that actually helped her. Our next step was the pulmonologist. The last Dr. said it was some sort of bacterial infection, gave her antibiotic #3 (Zithromax) which finally worked, plus cough syrup with codeine. In addition, she had to do a nebulizer every 4 hours of pulmocort and albuterol. She missed TWO WEEKS of 5th grade while all of this was getting figured out. She's finally better, but if you listen around the school, you'll hear lots of coughs that sound like barking seals, and I hope she doesn't get sick again due to all of the sick kids going to school! My dd has asthma so it hits her a lot harder than most kids, including DS. He got whatever it was too, and was only out for 2 days.