We ended up calling 911.

SeaSoul

Laugh if you will (b/c all was ultimately fine), but it was a very scary moment.  Cal woke up with that strange-sounding cough I mentioned below, but then it became productive and he couldn't get a breath due to phlegm getting in the way...however, he was crying in between coughs, and my rational self tells me after-the-fact that crying is a GOOD sign, b/c it means he's breathing.  At first I was going to call the on-call but even DH agreed I should call 911.  We brought him in the bathroom and ran a hot shower, which helped, and DH managed to calm him down.  Then the paramedics showed up and listened to his lungs and said they were perfectly clear (then what was all that phlegm?).  So, I don't know, maybe this IS just a nasty cold, but he's had so many of them and none of them have been anything like this, and he's never been this miserable with just a cold.  He still has a high fever ~104 (best thermometer in our house is my basal body temp one from when we were TTC and it takes FOREVER to give a reading...DH finally stopped temping at 102.65 and since it was under the arm I know you're supposed to add a degree, so it was 103.65 at least).  Gave him Tylenol 45 mins ago and it still has barely come down.

I don't know.  We've had Roseola, HFM, ear infections, and lots of colds, and nothing has scared me like this.  He's asleep in our bed with DH right now, propped up with pillows.  I don't think I'll be able to sleep anytime soon.

Carmela752

Just because his lungs are clear doesn't mean he's OK. Not to scare you, I just used to be an ER nurse.

Does it sound like a seal bark? Could be croup. That's primarily upper airway swelling, and it may need to be treated with steroids.

If you're still scared you probably have good reason to be, and I would take him to the ER tonight - one that does a lot of pediatrics.

 

SeaSoul

Carmela752:

Just because his lungs are clear doesn't mean he's OK. Not to scare you, I just used to be an ER nurse.

Does it sound like a seal bark? Could be croup. That's primarily upper airway swelling, and it may need to be treated with steroids.

If you're still scared you probably have good reason to be, and I would take him to the ER tonight - one that does a lot of pediatrics.

 

Thanks.  The paramedics led us to believe that if his airways are clear that means he does NOT have croup.  Yes, it sounds to me like a seal bark.  But it's not constant and we're not noticing any wheezing or odd sounds while breathing.  He's not sleeping well..keeps waking up and when awake he coughs and his voice sounds hoarse.  He still doesn't have any other cold symptoms.  Any other thoughts?  I just called the on-call to get their advice too.

Carmela752

They can sometimes have wheezing with croup, but they can have normal to diminished breath sounds with croup too (diminished is basically just not as loud, if they're not able to move as much air into their lungs as normal.)

Is there any chance he swallowed a foreign body, like a coin, toy, or a button battery? I work in poison control now, and we see a lot of that. Sometimes things will get stuck in the esophagus and need to be removed - especially button batteries, since they cause a lot of tissue damage and lead to dangerous complications. 

SeaSoul

Carmela752:

They can sometimes have wheezing with croup, but they can have normal to diminished breath sounds with croup too (diminished is basically just not as loud, if they're not able to move as much air into their lungs as normal.)

Is there any chance he swallowed a foreign body, like a coin, toy, or a button battery? I work in poison control now, and we see a lot of that. Sometimes things will get stuck in the esophagus and need to be removed - especially button batteries, since they cause a lot of tissue damage and lead to dangerous complications. 

I suppose it's possible, but I have no knowledge of it.  And he's older, so I wouldn't expect that - he doesn't normally put things in his mouth.  Would this cause fever, phlegmy cough, and general misery?  He had a very slight, dry, infrequent cough that started a few days ago (otherwise fine), then the fever yesterday, and cough got much worse (in frequency and severity) and phlegmy tonight.  Does that sound like a normal progression of events for a foreign object in the esophagus?

Carmela752

They can get pretty sick (including the fever and cough/phlegm) with a button battery ingestion, and oftentimes vomiting (sometimes bloody) and complaining of pain. I think your LO still sounds more like croup, though.

I hope you hear back from the on-call soon, so you can figure out what to do tonight. Keep me/us posted.  

 

kianew

I probably would've done the same thing - it's scary when they are that sick.  I don't really have any advice but I am thinking of you and Cal & really hope he starts feeling better soon.  Let us know what the on-call says. 

(((HUGS)))

SeaSoul

OMG, things have changed w/ our pedi's office...used to be that one of the physicians in the practice would call you back if you called after-hours.  Now you get a triage nurse who doesn't even work at the practice, asks a zillion questions prompted by her computer program, and types out the entire phone call.  Hey, at least they are thorough, but geez...I would much rather just talk to one of the pedis.

She can't give a Dx, just said she thought he should be seen in the next 24 hours, so to bring him to the pedi in the AM.  If things get worse, then call again.  She had me hold up the phone to him so she could hear his breathing, and when she did he coughed.  She didn't really say anything the cough but I asked her at the end of the phone call if it sounded like croup to her and she said yes.  He's breathing normally and sleeping at the moment (but has been waking a ton all night)...fever's not coming down too much with Tylenol but I hope he can sleep long enough to allow his body to rest from coughing.  That coughing fit where phlegm was getting caught and he couldn't breathe was just so scary!  I thought I read that a croup cough isn't typically productive, but the nurse said that the underlying virus could be causing that.

Anyway, I'm afraid to sleep...very glad DH is sleeping with C right now.

skoorbnibor

you poor thing! 

And poor Cal! I hope they get him in at the pedi 1st thing and everything looks etter in the morning! 

etoyama

I'm so sorry your LO is feeling so awful What a scary situation! Thinking of you and hoping you get some answers at your appointment, and that things turn around very soon.

desabean

How scary! Hope he is feeling better soon.

KYRN

Mark had croup a few weeks ago and of course it started in the middle of the night (Croup gets worse at night).  I was seconds away from calling 911 and I'm a nurse and used to work peds on a respiratory floor.  We went to the pedi the first thing in the morning and they gave him a 1 time dose of steroid.

We bought a cool mist humidifier and he coughed through night but seemed to be ok during the day.  Sounds like Cal's virus is making him feel a little more crappy with the fever.  I hope he's feeling better soon.  

lrrb

Hope Cal is feeling better this morning.  Praying for you guys!

OscarQ

My sisters and I got croup all the time as kids.  My dad was a croup expert but one time he ended up rushing my youngest sister to the ER (and in my family you don't go to the ER unless it is the most absolute of emergencies - like you chopped off your hand).  Croup can be scary. 

I hope he's feeling better this morning and that you all get some productive sleep soon. 

Dragonfly1226

That must have been so scary! I hope your LO gels better soon and that you can get some sleep. (((((hugs)))))

dundasgirl

I hope he feels better today.  keep us updated!

JillRock96

You must have been so scared!  I would have done the same thing.  Keep us posted!