What do you do for croup?

SumnerBride

DD1 has it.  I've got a humidifier in her room.  What else, if anything, can I do to help her be more comfortable?

crazynervous

DS did better with cold air but others say hot warm steamy air like from a shower. Just keep an ear out for stridor. If she start having trouble breathing you will needto take her in.

minnasmommy

oh no!

steam up the bathroom really well and just sit in there with her. bring in some toys and just hang out in the steam.  

if that doesn't seem to help--go outside (if it's really cold) or just open the freezer and let the cold hit her.

croup is awful! hope she's feeling better soon.  

JOEBunny

Keep the fever under control as much as you can.  DD ended up in the hospital because of that with croup.  We have a steam shower, so that helps a lot, if you can get them to hold a hot wash cloth over there mouth, not a burning hot, just warm, that helps to. 

Halo79RN

the steamy shower will loosen up secretions... the cold air helps to soothe the inflammed airway... typically for croup you need the shot of cold air.   I do a combo if ds is wheezing or barking (he's only had croup/barky cough once and needed treatments and prednisolone for a few days, but he tends to wheeze with colds sometimes).  start with the steam then go stick his head out the window or in the freezer.  it's helped us make it until an am appt on a few times. 

cokt

DS just had that last week-complete with stridor. We bundled him up and took him outside in the cold air and then into a super steamy bathroom. We kept him in each for about 5 minutes and then switched and did that rotation a few times. We did that before bedtime and then a nice warm bath. We also kept vicks on his chest and feet and a humidifier on in his room. We also elevated the head side of his crib. Hope she feels better! DS ust had croup for 2 days and then it turned into a normal cold.

beth2626

In her first year my daughter had croup 3 times. We bundled her up and took her for a drive with the window open (she slept as it was nighttime). Then when we got home we used a warm humidifier in her bedroom. The cold air helped sooo much.

goodheartedmommy

Cold air--the airway is restricted, and cold air helps the swelling. Sitting with her next to an open window is good, or if it's too cold for that, you can stand in front of the open freezer. It's worst at night, so be prepared to need to treat it more tonight than during the day. She should be feeling better in the morning.