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#698479 - 03/08/07 03:38 PM Croup With Striders-AGAIN
BrendaC Offline
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Sweet Home AL
We had another close call with my grandson this week--another sudden onset of croup with striders. By the time the paramedics arrived at my daughter's house, he was blacking out because he couldn't breathe. They only live 10-15 minutes from Children's Hospital and they made it there pretty quickly (not much traffic at midnight).

This is the 4th-5th time he has gone through this. His pulmonologist says it is very rare for a child to experience it this many times and she has no explanation. Going outside didn't work, shower didn't work and his nebulizer meds never work on croup.

This time the medicine they use to open his airway caused his heart to beat too fast and they had to counter with a shot to regulate his heart beat.

I am beginning to worry that something else may be going on with his lungs. Any thoughts on preventive efforts or something we might be overlooking to help him?
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#698480 - 03/08/07 03:40 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN BrendaC
Skittles Offline
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I'm so sorry that you and your family are going through this. Luckily, my son only had croup once and it wasn't all that bad. My younger sister and brother used to get it (I never did) and mom would either take them outside or use the steam from the shower and that seemed to ease it.

I'm unfamiliar with striders - what is that?
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#698664 - 03/08/07 06:07 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN Skittles
Countess Kiwi Offline
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I am not sure what striders is either, but if you think something else may be going on I would try to get another doctors opinion. You might also look into whether the environment could be causing some of the issues and what can be done to eliminate or prevent those factors. Just some thoughts.

Praying for your family. I hope you receive the answers you are looking for.
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#698665 - 03/08/07 06:07 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN Skittles
Bagweaver Offline
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SW GA
And you know for sure that it's not asthma (sp?)? My little brother had a touch when he was a baby.

What is croup with striders?

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#698680 - 03/08/07 06:17 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN Bagweaver
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Stridors (o not e) are simply wheezing noises. They are often heard when children are lying on their backs and having trouble breathing due to some other situation (respiratory infection or asthma or croup, as mentioned here). Doctors further classify them as "inspiratory stridors" - wheezing noises heard when the patient inhales or "expiratory stridors" - wheezing noises heard when the patient exhales.

I think this child should be evaluated for asthma by a medical professional, and possibly put on a prophylactic, everyday asthma medication to prevent these kinds of attacks before they begin. How frightening!
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#698727 - 03/08/07 06:53 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN BurntSienna
BrendaC Offline
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Need to work on that spelling, huh? Thanks for the correction.

He has been treated for asthma since he was a year old and is under the care of an outstanding pulmonologist here in Birmingham. He uses Xopenex for management and albuterol as needed. The doctor says these have no effect on croup because it is a virus. They have moved several times, so I don't think it is related to their home. He has had episodes in the winter and in the spring, so it doesn't seem seasonal.

It is so frightening because his airway closes so quickly. One paramedic told my daughter that she should probably learn how to do an emergency trach, but she doesn't think she could it it.
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#698733 - 03/08/07 07:00 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN BrendaC
someone else Offline
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Gosh...this brings up so many scary memories. My son went through several bouts of croup, two of which ended up in the hospital. Luckily, he eventually outgrew the susceptibility towards the virus. We are now three years croup-free.
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#698734 - 03/08/07 07:01 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN BrendaC
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As crazy as this may sound my youngest son had croup once when he was a baby (now 13,) since then any time he got sick runny nose or anything he would develop the croup like cough that would make me run to the doctors with him, it was always diagnosed as a virus, his school used to send him home because of the way he sounded finally the doctor sent him to and ENT and they ran a scope down his nose into his throat, and he was diagnosed with reflux they put him on reflux medicine and we have not had any problems since, I am keeping my fingers crossed he has been cough free for 2 years.

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#698747 - 03/08/07 07:26 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN Mom of Boys
BrendaC Offline
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That's definitely not crazy. One of the first tests they do when testing for asthma is check for reflux. There is apparently a strong link between the two.

I know the he was put on reflux meds at one time, but I'm not sure my daughter has been giving him those. Maybe that is something we need to look at. Thanks!
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#699072 - 03/09/07 01:56 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN BrendaC
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My son had recurring croup with stridors. It was just awful, he would turn blue... He was always treated with asthma medication and it seemed to do the trick.
Sudden changes in the weather would trigger it along with seasonal allergies.

Fortunately, he has grown out of it; I hope your little guy does too... it is traumatic for all involved.
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#699715 - 03/12/07 02:19 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN Retired DQ
BrendaC Offline
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I think it might be time to check with his doctor about possible allergy testing. He is getting to the age where he wants to be outside and that seems to really trigger bad attacks. He spent last Easter in the ER after being outside hiding eggs.
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#699807 - 03/12/07 03:55 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN BrendaC
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That would be a trigger. It always seemed to happened from Oct-May.
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#703897 - 03/20/07 10:33 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN Retired DQ
bubs63 Offline
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I know how your grandson feels. I was a croup baby I would have one ore two attacks a year until my late 20s. They got easier to handle as I got older. Once I knew when I was going to come down with the croup, for me it was always a scratchy throat, followed by a fever. The only relief I got was taking Robitussion CF Ask your doctor about that. The scariest thing for me having croup was I could breath in but not out. I am 43 know and had a bad episode about three years ago. For me it was always January February and once or twice in September. I will still get croup but not sever enough to go to the hospital. The issue is with mucus buildup in the throat that will effect your breathing. That is why cold moist air is helpful because it helps shrink the mucus.

Once I get that tickle in my throat I begin to drink a lot of orange juice. Two large OJs form McDonalds in the morning does the trick. But you have to catch it early or you will have to work through the virus.

For the record I do not have any environmental allergies, and accept for being over weight I am pretty healthy. . I played in every sport I could when I was little through high school. So in my case there were no lasting affects of the Croup. I think once you have it you will always be susceptible to getting it. I was told by my doctor a long time ago that as I grow older and my throat got bigger the episodes would not be as sever, which has been true for me.

So hang in there. Cold moist air was what helps the best, and a whole lot of coughing Hot moist air for me was the worst.

So hang in there. The little guy is in my prayers
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#901392 - 02/07/08 03:42 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN bubs63
BrendaC Offline
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Well, it has been another really tough year for my daughter and her 3 kids (all with asthma). Asthma is out of control for both my grandson and his youngest sister (9 mos). Both are going through all kinds of tests, AGAIN, at Children's Hospital to try to determine exactly what is going on and why they don't respond to treatment.

His pulmonologist is referring him to an ENT suspecting he has stenosis of the throat. Does anyone know what that is and how it affects asthma and possibly acts as a trigger for croup? I've never heard of it.
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#901416 - 02/07/08 04:05 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN BrendaC
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This may sound off the wall, but has anyone suggested getting a chihuahua? My son had asthma as a baby and several people suggested that a chihuahua would help with the asthma. Since we were looking for a puppy anyway, we got a chihuahua. I have no idea why, but something about them is supposed to help with asthma. My son is three now and we have not used an inhaler or breathing machine in about a year.

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#901418 - 02/07/08 04:08 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN cantley
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Wow, that does sound off the wall. I assume they suggested the short haired Chi rather than the long haired ones?

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#901430 - 02/07/08 04:18 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN B_F
Countess Kiwi Offline
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Have they tested their living environment to see if something there is triggering the asthma, etc? Don't know if there is a testing kit or if someone could test the air where they are living, but if it were me that is something I would research as well.

We moved two years ago from a dry climate to a humid one and the kids have not used any meds or inhalers since we moved. My hubby has also benefited.
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#901444 - 02/07/08 04:26 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN Countess Kiwi
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We got a short-haired Chi. I do not recall any of the people I talked to mentioning one or the other, but I am not really an inside pet person and wanted the least amount of shedding to deal with. I never would have believed it, but no other environmental factors really changed and I would say we are asthma free.

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#901501 - 02/07/08 05:35 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN cantley
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My brother suffered from all kinds of allergies and asthma as a child. We were given a chihuahua by some family friends and my Mom of course thought they were nuts! He never had an asthma attack and after he reached his teens all his allergies went away except the one for walnuts (he did have years of allergy shots as a child) It sounds crazy but I thought I would report another success story! (by the way, he's 52 now!)

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#901645 - 02/07/08 07:54 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN KK
BrendaC Offline
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Sounds really strange, but you can't argue with facts.

I am concerned about their environment. They are in a really old rental house right now. She is a good housekeeper, but she can't control the roaches and I suspect that (and the bug killer) is part of the problem. The landlord won't hire an exterminator and I doubt the folks downstairs make the same effort. We're trying to locate them something else. Hopefully we'll be able to find something else soon (we have to pay all their bills; ex-husband abandoned her and the kids for drugs).
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#901921 - 02/08/08 11:46 AM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN BrendaC
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Also, mold can be a huge factor. When my son was little, we lived in a slab house... not a good thing. Look into a de-humidifier to help get rid of mold.
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#901960 - 02/08/08 01:58 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN BrendaC
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Stenosis is a narrowing of the particular organ. so a stenosis of the throat would be an unusual narrowing of the pharynx. If the stenosis was significant, there would be less volume for air to pass through. I don't know if this would make your grandson more likely to have an attack, but it is easy for me to imagine that it would make an attack more severe.

The narrowing might also make it easier for the membrane that creates croup to form.
Last edited by redsfan; 02/08/08 01:59 PM.
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#902208 - 02/08/08 06:04 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN redsfan
BrendaC Offline
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Sweet Home AL
Thanks, redsfan. I guess the steroids given to open his bronchial tubes probably also works to open his throat if this is, in fact, his problem.
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#913619 - 03/03/08 03:26 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN BrendaC
BrendaC Offline
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Sweet Home AL
Well, my little man has been to a pediatric ENT who believes that his esophagus is not properly formed. He is scheduled for the following procedures on 3/13.
1. Laryngoscopy-Broncoscopy (DLB)
2. Bronchialneolar Lavage
3. Esophagoscopy with Biopsy
4. Biopsies of his stomach and airway

If the doctor's suspicions are found to be correct, he will have to undergo another surgery to reconstruct his esophagus and possibly something in his ear. This may be two surgeries.

I am a firm believer in the power of prayer. I welcome all of the BOL prayer warriors out there to intercede for him as well as my four-year old granddaugher who will be having her tonsils and adenoids out this Thursday.
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#913628 - 03/03/08 03:36 PM Re: Croup With Striders-AGAIN BrendaC
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Prayers are coming your way from Central, GA. Although I hope they determine the cause, I hope surgery is not involved in the cure if at all possible. I can't imagine the worry involved - even for the tonsil removal.
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