Croup without a fever? Help me figure out what this is!!

[dancermommy1]

My 22 month old has woken up at 1 am the last several nights with this bizarre cough. The cough itself isn't croupy sounding (i.e. doesn't have the seal-bark sound) but it's accompanied by a bizarre sound on inhalation that sounds like he is gasping for breath. It's a very high pitched "whoop" or wheezy gasp (YES he has been fully vax'd for whooping cough--I am 99% certain he does not have pertussis). It almost has a sleep apnea gasp sound to it. But, he's not often asleep and he is breathing (we are sitting by him watching when this happens).

He does not have the symptoms during the day very often--though he has on a couple of occassions done the weird inhale gasp and coughed a bit--it's almost like he's choking on saliva. But it's most common only after he's been asleep for between 3-5 hours. The coughing goes on for anywhere from a few minutes to an hour (intermittently, not continuously) and he has a hard time settling. because we've been worried we've been bringing him to bed with us to observe him, and after a little bit he settles and goes back to sleep with no further problems.

No fever, no excessive runny nose (a bit of runniness, but it's spring and we have poor air quality around here, so everyone is having runny noses), no extreme fatigue, though he was a little out of sorts yesterday around noon--but then he hadn't slept well the night before.

Thoughts? we do have an appt this afternoon--it's really a re-check for an ear infection he was treated for a couple of weeks ago but we will address this issue, too. But, i was curious if any of you have had this happen. My best guesses are some mild allergy related asthma due to the high levels of pollen in the air or a mild croup, or bronchiolitis.

[lilangel8185]

My sons have had this before and with them its allergies. They get the cough when the mucus goes down the back of the throat. They also have gotten it with headcolds too, but the dr said with the winter allergies are going to be bad this year. It does seem to be worse if they are sleeping too.

[somo_chickenlady]

That is what my son sounded like when he had asthma as a baby-preschooler. The cough is worse at night. He outgrew it when he was in 1st grade, thankfully.

If I were you I would speak to his doctor about it or have him seen. Good luck, I hope you get it figured out and he starts to feel better soon!

[Bukawww]

My dd1 (9) has a croup like cough preceding allergies and colds. I've been told it is a type of asthma. She did require a breathing treatment and emergency steroid shot once when she was 4 (ox sats were at 83). Other than that, we just get out the humidifier and give her Zyrtec and keep her hydrated. I keep meaning to request a rescue inhaler though.

[momof3boys1girl]

we have that with my two boys croup with colds that req inhaler or neb. Could it be reflux?

[momof3boys1girl]

Forgot to say my two older ones have asthma and allergies

[mommyfrog]

I was just at the doctor yesterday for a long lasting cough and sore throat. They are treating me for pertussis even though to me the cough isn't that bad and I've been fully vaxed, with a booster shot 4 years ago. The doctor told me that the vax is 84% effective but that almost all the cases in the epidemic in our area are people who are fully vaxed. Vaxed people usually get a less severe case than nonvaxed. The county told them to treat anyone with a cough like mine that gets worse at night (no weird sounds or anything) as if they have pertussis. They are very frustrated around here. My BIL's whole family just had it too and are all vaxed. They live about 45 miles from us and we haven't been around them. It is just really bad this year.

[ssand23]

Originally Posted by Bukawww My dd1 (9) has a croup like cough preceding allergies and colds. I've been told it is a type of asthma. She did require a breathing treatment and emergency steroid shot once when she was 4 (ox sats were at 83). Other than that, we just get out the humidifier and give her Zyrtec and keep her hydrated. I keep meaning to request a rescue inhaler though.

This is very common. Some people don't wheeze, just cough & tend to cough more at night. We all have asthma like that here, myself included. At first I start coughing at night & then it progresses to day time, too. I have rescue inhalers for myself & my older ones & the nebulizer for the younger 2.

My son had croup in December but with a fever. He saw the doctor who diagnosed him. It progressed to pneumonia fast & with in 3 days, he ended up in the hospital for a few days. He does have other health problems so it doesn't take much for him to get very sick.

mom to 4, 3 big girls & 1 little boy ('94, '99, '02 & 12/30/09)

[ssand23]

Originally Posted by dancermommy1 My 22 month old has woken up at 1 am the last several nights with this bizarre cough. The cough itself isn't croupy sounding (i.e. doesn't have the seal-bark sound) but it's accompanied by a bizarre sound on inhalation that sounds like he is gasping for breath. It's a very high pitched "whoop" or wheezy gasp (YES he has been fully vax'd for whooping cough--I am 99% certain he does not have pertussis). It almost has a sleep apnea gasp sound to it. But, he's not often asleep and he is breathing (we are sitting by him watching when this happens). He does not have the symptoms during the day very often--though he has on a couple of occassions done the weird inhale gasp and coughed a bit--it's almost like he's choking on saliva. But it's most common only after he's been asleep for between 3-5 hours. The coughing goes on for anywhere from a few minutes to an hour (intermittently, not continuously) and he has a hard time settling. because we've been worried we've been bringing him to bed with us to observe him, and after a little bit he settles and goes back to sleep with no further problems. No fever, no excessive runny nose (a bit of runniness, but it's spring and we have poor air quality around here, so everyone is having runny noses), no extreme fatigue, though he was a little out of sorts yesterday around noon--but then he hadn't slept well the night before. Thoughts? we do have an appt this afternoon--it's really a re-check for an ear infection he was treated for a couple of weeks ago but we will address this issue, too. But, i was curious if any of you have had this happen. My best guesses are some mild allergy related asthma due to the high levels of pollen in the air or a mild croup, or bronchiolitis.

It sounds like asthma. I'd just posted above this but some people never wheeze, just cough. Though some doctors are not informed & will just give cough medicine instead of asthma meds. It's more common at night & often starts up after being sick (which it sounds like was recently) or when seasons & weather changes, like now.

mom to 4, 3 big girls & 1 little boy ('94, '99, '02 & 12/30/09)