Any one dealt with croup?

artichoken

How did you help comfort your child? My son is almost 4 and just started the seal barking cough last night! He is completely miserable and says his throat hurts so bad! He was wheezing last night a good bit, after we went outside it got much better. He hasn't had it *much* this morning. I just dont know how to comfort him right now or if i should even call his doctor?? I know its caused by a virus so abx are null and void.

HappyMess15

Humidifier, steamy showers, I would open the freezer and put her in front of it. We did visit the ER one night when her breathing seemed very labored and they gave her a steroid.

artichoken

ok, so are steroids the new way to treat croup? He is my first to have it so ofcourse I asked my mom and she said in the olden days they just let it run its course. but if steroids help, ill do it!!

artichoken

The nurse said since he is wheezing he needs to be seen ASAP, his appointment is in an hour. 

artichoken

Thank you all for letting me know about the steroids! I hope he gets relief QUICK

angelashly

pobrecita said:

We did a steroid and the croupy part of the cough was gone within hours. We also did a humidifier, steamy showers, and night air.

This is what we do too. I was also told to do tylenol for her fever/comfort

Pips09

Croup is the worst! We had to do an oral steroid and a breathing treatment at the hospital. At home we'll do a humid shower or breathing cool air from the freezer.

Spapeggy

Ds 2 1/2 got it, gave it to 2 month dd who gave it back to ds so we had croup for 3 weeks. It was poop but not as bad as I've heard it can be. I did Vicks on the chest to help too. And warm tea in his sippy

artichoken

we're waiting at the doctors. is it normal for the cough to not be so frequent during the day??

artichoken

they are not giving him steroids....she said because the stridor is in his voice box abd not his lungs. they are also checking for strep

artichoken

What makes me mad is I could hear him wheezing this morning and on the way here. But she says he's not. Wtf

artichoken

I asked for them. she said NO. WTF.. she is just a cpnc not even a doctor...guess I'm going to the er tonight

ILoveBoys

Is there somewhere you can get a second opinion? We JUST left the dr- DD has croup. Hers is mild and started 4 nights ago. They still gave her steroid dose bc it is disturbing her sleep when she coughs.

We've dealt with croup for 8 years, from mild to respiratory code status- steroids aren't a new treatment. But humidifier, steamy bathroom and going out in the cold alternated will help open the airway.

Hope he feels better soon!

artichoken

when they come back with his strep resultsI'mgoingtodemandIgetascript to take home tonight. I live an hour away from the closest children's hospital

ILoveBoys

@artichoken I've never been given a script, they just give one dose of oral steroids in the office. Only our super bad cases have required more than the initial dose.

But yes, if there's another dr in the office id ask for a second opinion

Reagan1010

OnederfulMother said:

artichoken said:

we're waiting at the doctors. is it normal for the cough to not be so frequent during the day??

Yes. The cough is generally worse at night. I would request steroids to keep on hand in the evening. Having steroids in the middle of the night is usually the difference between us having to go to the ER or not with my kid. I can just give him one dose and he's breathing clearly within 10-15 minutes.

This! Our doctor has us keep a liquid steroid in the medicine cabinet because DS has been hospitalized for croup before.  We had to go to the ER one night and 2 breathing treatments and a dose of steroids later, the wheezing was only marginally better.  They admitted us to keep an eye on it.  

Now at the first sign of croup, we are supposed to bring him to the doc.  It's normally in the middle of the night though, so we give him a dose of steroids immediately and then call our pedi in the morning.

I hope you little one is feeling better soon!  Croup is nasty!!

MrsT0514

My son has not had it, thank god, but I used to get it every year as a kid. My mom used to do hot steam showers, vicks, and keep the humidifier running.

I'm sorry your LO is stuck with it right now! Yuck. Hope he feels better soon!

Meeshe

I have to say I think it's totally normal to NOT be given a steroid.  My two kids have had a LOT and the only time we've ever had a steroid was the one time we had three episodes during the night with my 2 year old and they recommended we go to the ER (which I still think was unnecessary).  MOST of the time it is resolved with steam by the shower, then put the humidifier right on them.  You can give them ibuprofen to help with the sore throat and swelling in the throat.  While it sounds bad as long as it's not impeding their breathing it's ok. 

This includes one time when my then 5 YO came in the room and told me she couldn't breathe.  We did the steam, if it hadn't resolved, we would have gone to the ER.  But it did.  YOu don't want your child to take a steroid unless absolutely necessary.

I think it would be reasonable to ask for it to be noted in case you need to call during the night so they could call in the prescription or for them to give it to you in case you need it.  But croup on it's own, doesn't and shouldn't mean you have to get a steroid every time.

artichoken

he tested positive for strep and said he had croup from that. possible?? if he gets like he was last night I'm taking him in

artichoken

poopy...

artichoken

so now I'm wondering if he has croup AND strep. or if the strep caused the croup

ILoveBoys

It's very possible. Strep can be caused by viruses as well. Croup is just the narrowing of the airway, so the strep could've caused that.

artichoken

I guess I mean the.typical virus that causes croup parainfluenza, I wonder if he has that and streptoccocial(sp?) Or just strep that caused the narrowing...maybe I should have him tested for it?

they gave him penicillin

LissaLee

I'm a respiratory therapist and treat croupers in our ER frequently.

Croup is not a specific virus, it's a blanket term that they give for narrowing of the airway that causes that barking cough and high pitched sound you hear, which was most likely stridor, not wheezing. Stridor is in the upper airway and wheezing is in the lungs, but it can be easy to confuse.

Most of our ER docs tend to give steroids, but we have a few who only give humidity treatments (high humidity through a mask for about an hour) and in my experience it works just as well with much fewer side effects then steroids or breathing treatments. Personally, I don't feel your pedi is out of line.

Also, croup does tend to be worse at night.

All that being said, croup is so scary and I hope your LO is doing better quickly!

artichoken

The doctor did say he probably has both the croup virus as well as the bacteria for strep

artichoken

I have been dx with strep!!

artichoken

@lissalee thank you for that information. she did say the parainfluenza virus. and believes he has boththat and strep. she said the strep could cause complications with the croup and specifically stridor so to pay close attention tonight. is that correct?

artichoken

if it is anything close to last night I am definitely taking him in! that stridor was scary

artichoken

just gave him a tsp of honey. hope it helps

LissaLee

artichoken said:

@lissalee thank you for that information. she did say the parainfluenza virus. and believes he has boththat and strep. she said the strep could cause complications with the croup and specifically stridor so to pay close attention tonight. is that correct?

I would agree. If he's got both it could mean more swelling than normal. The things I would watch for are retractions (if he's sucking so hard to take a breath that you can see between his ribs), if he is turning blue around his lips, or if he is really huffing and puffing. Don't hesitate to call the after hours line or take him in if you are worried. Trust your gut mama! Good luck, I hope you all get some sleep tonight!