Oral steroids EVERY winter?

[Nemmi]

My Ds is 2,

Brief medical history.

Bronchiolitis at 7 weeks old, 1 week hospitalization
Respiratory infection at 4 months (rediagnosed as roseola after he reacted to the antibiotics )

Warm weather for the next 8 months, no problems except colds.

Winter again
12 months - croup oral steroids
14 months - croup oral steroids.
15 months - croup oral steroids.
16 months tonsillitis, reaction to antibiotics ment he had it come back 2 weeks later.

Warm weather again

Now - winter 24 months, 3 am this morning hospital visit, drs exact words 'hes got croup ... but you already knew that', Ds had to stay and have a dose of ventolin to ease the strider before we were given a dose of redipred and sent home with a script for 3 mls redipred 2 times a day for 3 days.

I have seen different doctors each time.

First - I have a strong history of asthma in my family, ds has always had some form of wheeze particularly in the cold months. What age do drs dx asthma?

Secondly - is it really SAFE for my lb to be taking oral steroids and suffering constant breathing issues ALL winter?

I do trust my doctors but I know from my own medical history (constant hospitalizations with croup and bronchiolitis) that my breathing problems got better once a dx of asthma was made and a puffer given.

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[Cinderella82]

I'm sorry to hear that your DS is having such a hard time.

We also have a strong history of respiratory problems & asthma in the family, and my dd has had issues in winter & has been on ventolin & prednisolone (oral steroids). How does your DS respond to the ventolin - does it improve his breathing, oxygen levels, etc? I was told by the dr that if they do respond to the ventolin, it tells them that it definitely is asthma - because asthma is the only respiratory problem that responds to ventolin. Because of this, her symptoms, and the fact that there is a history of asthma in the family, they diagnosed asthma when she was 1. She is on a preventative during winter, and then just ventolin as needed.

If I were you, I would be going to a good GP if you have one, or a paed, and telling them the symptoms, etc. that your DS suffers in winter, that there is asthma in the family, that he responds well to the steroids & ventolin, but that you would like to try a preventative inhaler to see if that helps. I personally would prefer to give a preventative inhaler as opposed to steroids if possible, so I would be asking the dr to give you that option to prescribe a preventative and at least see if it works, and combine it with ventolin as needed (obviously after your DS has finished his current round of steroids though). But ventolin should not be needed too often if the preventative is working. I really have had no experience with croup though, so I don't know how that comes into it.
I hope things improve for you and DS - it's scary, isn't it, seeing your little one struggling to breathe :hugs:

[Tutu & Lulu]

The problem is that Asthma can't really be diagnosed properly until a child is about 2. so now that you little one is 2 and has his first lot of steriods for the winter i would make an appoinment with your regular GP and go through all your concerns with them and hopefully get him tested so he can go on some good preventer medication.

I'm asthmatic and have been since birth (undiagnosed obviously but on nebs from when i went home from hospital) and most winter despite being on symbicort twice a day i usually end up with a chest infection and swollen airways that require me to take a short dose of prenisolone unfortunately that is just what winter meals for asthmatics but i agree that its a lot less then if i wasn't on a preventer.

[Nemmi]

I'm sorry to hear that your DS is having such a hard time.

We also have a strong history of respiratory problems & asthma in the family, and my dd has had issues in winter & has been on ventolin & prednisolone (oral steroids). How does your DS respond to the ventolin - does it improve his breathing, oxygen levels, etc? I was told by the dr that if they do respond to the ventolin, it tells them that it definitely is asthma - because asthma is the only respiratory problem that responds to ventolin. Because of this, her symptoms, and the fact that there is a history of asthma in the family, they diagnosed asthma when she was 1. She is on a preventative during winter, and then just ventolin as needed.

If I were you, I would be going to a good GP if you have one, or a paed, and telling them the symptoms, etc. that your DS suffers in winter, that there is asthma in the family, that he responds well to the steroids & ventolin, but that you would like to try a preventative inhaler to see if that helps. I personally would prefer to give a preventative inhaler as opposed to steroids if possible, so I would be asking the dr to give you that option to prescribe a preventative and at least see if it works, and combine it with ventolin as needed (obviously after your DS has finished his current round of steroids though). But ventolin should not be needed too often if the preventative is working. I really have had no experience with croup though, so I don't know how that comes into it.
I hope things improve for you and DS - it's scary, isn't it, seeing your little one struggling to breathe :hugs:

He responds very well to the ventolin when its given, I am considering making an appointment with the doctor he saw for his last bout of croup as he said we would discuss a puffer if croup occurred again.

I also would prefer a puffer to steroids :( I just dont want to seem like an idiot if I go to a doctor and basically write off previous medical advice.

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[Ready To Run]

Hi :hugs: My DS2 has had almost identical problems to your DS. He is also 2. When he was only 4 weeks old he had steriods to strengthen his lungs. Apparently it could have been caused by fluid left because of the cesarean birth. Anyway at 5 months he developed pneumonia and we were hospitalised for a week and it took quite a while for him to recover from that. About a month later he developed a respiratory infection. The weather warmed up, we moved to a really hot climate for DH work and he was all good until last winter when 4 times he needed the oral steroids. Once was bad enough that we were almost flown out with the RFDS only the weather was too bad. Then to finish up last winter he got tonsilitis. So far this winter (he is now 28 months) we have had some pretty bad colds - raspy breathing which of course I was up to the hospital and they told me he is all fine. I have my fingers crossed we can get through this winter all good and healthy. DH has asthma. DS2 also used a neb and had ventolin last winter which he responded well to. I have been using a vapouriser in his room each night and it seems to be helping so far.

I hope things get better for you too :hugs::fingerscrossed:

I know this is an odd question but have you ever had a problem in your house or somewhere your DS goes to regularly with mould?

[Nemmi]

We have a little bit of mould in the bathroom that I attack with bicarb and vinegar weekly but no other visible mould,

Its stressful hey cos I think they're the doctor they know best but also I feel a puffer would be alot better for his health than steroids


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[Ready To Run]

We had the same problem with mould in our bathroom when DS was born. I was forever cleaning it but it just kept coming back. We did some research and realised that it may have been the start of all of his troubles. We now live in a new house with great ventilation, no mould and I make a habit of opening all the windows when I go out each day to get fresh air in (because it's too cold to be inside with them open). I think in our case that this was probably part of the reason he had so much trouble and now I'm hoping that he might be past all of it - not that every time he coughs/gets a cold etc... I don't freak out and take him up to the hospital :(

[wigglemum]

Hi. Two of my kids have chronic lung problems, can I suggest you go and see a paediatric respiratory specialist? It certainly has helped us. I can highly recommend someone if you are in Sydney. Best wishes

[mmy2b]

We had exactly the same, but minus the croup. He got bronchialitis every winter. We have a good gp who we see regularly and both df and I have asthma. She gave us an asthma action plan without diagnosing it as such. She also gave us the dose of redipred we needed so when ventolin wasnt working, we could give him a dose of redipred and see her in the morning rather than going out in the middle of the night with him.

The good thing is he is nearly 4 and seems to have outgrown it, he has had a pretty good cold this winter already but no issues ventolin didn't fix.

Goodluck!

[Nemmi]

Thanks for all your replies :) Im about 6 hours from Sydney but once he is finished this first lot of steroids I will take him back to the gp he saw last year who said if he got croup again we would discuss using a puffer with him, I just wasnt sure whether I should or not as I dont want the doctor to think I am an idiot :/ I know the redipred works but if this winter is anything like the last he'll have alot of redipred (last winter he had firs lot for a few days then the next lot for a week and the lot after that a few days again)

[mmy2b]

We always see a gp after any trip to emergency, we're normally told to. They also send our notes to our gp.

[AAustralia]

You can contact Asthma Australia for information and advice on 1800ASTHMA (1800278462) you can also register online to have a free Control pack sent to you that has heaps of information to help you better manage asthma symptoms and includes an emergency fridge magnet.
http://asthmaaustralia.org.au/assist/

[sparklebug]

I think it's best to see your pead/ dr. As its a combination of things, it's more difficult. Also the number pp, sometimes it helps to get advise from a variety of places, just to be sure.

From what I know about croup a spacer will do nothing, unless your child has some sort of bronchitis/asthma as well.

Croup is all upper airways, its the voice box (larynx) that's why they give the steroid, it makes the swelling go down.
my DD used to get it about 3-6 times a year, each time the standard 3day treatment of steroids, I was assured by many Dr's that this dosage is not one to leave any side effects/ stunt growth etc.

She did grow out of it, I think they say by 7? DD's last time was before she turned 6.
(For the croup we found a few mins outside in the cold air would calm it down a little)

Hope your LO is doing well.

[FITCHICK]

:hugs: I haven't read all replies but my DD is very similar. She be 3 soon, last year she had:
Croup 5 times
Respiratory tract infection twice
Sinus infection once

Year before
Croup 3 times
Respiratory tract 3 times
Sinus infection twice

She's also always had glue ear that was only diagnosed recently.

I also swear she was on steroids all last winter, & last week she came down with croup for the first time this year (slightly early in the seasons for her)

Any we FINALLY have our paediatric ENT app today & hoping to get some answers. Maybe ask your GP for referral?

I don't know where you are, but we are in Newcastle NSW. The public wait list at JHH is YEARS long for a consult. I rang the private hospital, got some numbers for a few private doctors, and booked our consult last week.

We don't have private insurance so we are paying $$$ but I refuse to make DD wait years, as I'm sure you understand it's very distressing for them.

Sorry think I've just derailed your thread just wanted to let you know how we are dealing with it/give you some options.