My 6 year old has had recur. croup and asthma like symptoms since she was two. albuterol doesn't seem to help. what can we do? is it asthma?

See below: Get cxr and some blood tests get pulm funct tests try singular and Flovent or asmanax see pulm or allergist for further testing.

May need ENT eval.: Some kids croup easily (with colds) and end up needing treatment for croup (sometimes prednisone) several times. A pediatric ENT doctor may need to check the throat & voice box. Usually, "croupers" outgrow it as they get bigger, and croup doesn't seem to increase their asthma chances. Having repeat "pneumonia" or "bronchitis" is different from croup, and can be signs of asthmatic cough symptoms.

M.D. Visit: I would suggest that she have a visit with her pediatrician. There are several conditions that may be associated with these symptoms, including structural changes resulting in a narrowing of the airway. In addition, if your child has uncontrolled asthma, evaluation for the use of an inhaled steroid is indicated. Having information regarding what improves and worsens the symptoms will be helpful.

Vascular anomaly: If persistent asthma and croup structural abnormality occurring in children is vascular ring. This is congenital variation in which there is double aortic arch or variant that encircles esophagus and trachea. Causes narrowing of airway and malacia. The easiest test is barium swallow with visualization of esophagus to see if impression. If positive then next step is ct or MRI. Surgery corrects it.