Croup?

JOEBunny

I came home from a meeting to find that DS has the croup.  Other than a hot shower, is there anything else to be done?  Antibiotics? 

Going to sit in the shower with him now.  Will check back in a bit.

Heidisean

Giada had the croup a few times and was even hospitalized with it. The shower NEVER worked for her. The only thing that worked was taking her outside in the cold and having her breath the cold air (we would just bundle her up and my dh would walk around the block with her). She also got steroids. Depending on the severity of it he will need steroids or if it is a minor case my pedi lets it take its course. If he is striding to breath then he needs the meds and that was when my dd was hospitalized. Also, run a cool mist humidifier nightly. GL

summerbrideDC

If he seems to be having trouble inhaling after he coughs, I'd take him to the ER.  Othewise, I'd do the steamy shower and/or cold outside air, if it's really cold where you are now at night.  I sat outside w/ Ethan 1/2 the night when he had it, in december in the DC area--freezing, but it helped him breath. 

I hope he feels better. 

femmegem

If it's cold where you are, you can also open a window. Bundle him up and just let him sleep in a cold room. This did wonders for Alex. The steam is okay, but the cold is what really helps him.

You want to watch for stridor- that's when they're really struggling to breathe to the point where you can see the spaces between their ribs.

GL! I hate croup. It's so scary.

amiamish

Heidisean:

The only thing that worked was taking her outside in the cold and having her breath the cold air (we would just bundle her up and my dh would walk around the block with her). She also got steroids. Depending on the severity of it he will need steroids or if it is a minor case my pedi lets it take its course. If he is striding to breath then he needs the meds and that was when my dd was hospitalized. Also, run a cool mist humidifier nightly. GL

ditto all this. Jake has had croup 5 times, just had it last week too. If DC needs a steroid, ask for the shot. The pills and liquid taste HORRIBLE and are near impossible to force down. GL!

Jinsy80

DD1 has had croup twice. The first time, they gave her steroids. They didn't last year though, but it was a milder case. I'd rather take her outside in the cold (bundled up of course) than sit in a hot bathroom...but we alternate. Also, we use the humidifier. 

Ciarrai

Croup sucks!!  Our pedi gives steroids (prednizone) for it and that seems to work really well...of course, that's not at 10pm.  We were told to do 15 minutes in the hot steamy bathroom then immediately outside for 15 minutes of cold cold air.  Repeat twice (so an hour of that) and they should be a lot better.  Call in the morning for the prednizone if your pedi will let you. 

If you're worried at all, call the on-call line or take him to the ER.  We had to take DS to the Children's Hospital downtown when he got it when he was only 2 months old.  The doctors down there freaked out because he sounded so bad.  Rushed us back in thirty seconds and got him steroids (different ones) and breathing treatments.  Good news was we were able to go home about 4 or 5 hours later.  He was actually better and should have gone home after about 2-3 hours, but it took that long for them to get back to us after he wasn't an "emergency case" anymore.