Croup

MrsRyan61804

. I think Jack may have croup, he has a raspy breathing and when he coughs it sounds like a barking cough, although he isn't coughing a lot. I can't get him to a dr before tomorrow. Should I take him to the er, is there anything I can do at home just to get us through the night? Everything I am reading says there isn't much a dr can do anyway. I tried steaming the bathroom, but it isn't really helping. Any suggestions?

di0607

We usually alternate between steamy shower and taking walks outside. Despite it being 2-3 am go for a walk it works wonders. The ER would give steroids and a nebulizer of racemic epinephrine (only if he is really having a hard time breathing). I would call the on-call pedi and ask what you should do. I have asked for steroids right away because my boys tend to get it together and it gets bad very fast. I have taken them to the ER 12 hours apart. I hope you have a good night and your LO feels better soon.

RoxBride

Warning, it gets far worse at night.

What works best for us is to take her into the shower with us, get it all hot and steamy, and let the hot water roll over her while we stand under the water. Just being in a steamy bathroom wasn't enough steam.

Get a humidifier going as well.

Cold air helps - go outside, or go for a car ride with his window down letting cool night air get to him. Open the freezer and try and get him to breathe.

If he really gets out of it, head to the ER, but otherwise it sounds worse than it is. Your pedi will probably give him a steroid shot, and that brings pretty good relief.

Hang in there, croup is tough.

tnkrbl21

My jack get croup Often (he was even hospitalized last yr overnight for it).  The best thing you can do at home is cold fresh air.  Croup is Caused by inflammation and swelling which is why they give steroids so if you can sit I front of an opened window with cold air or a cool humidifier that might help the most.   

JillAly

People have told you steam and some people told you cold - they're both right.  It's not one or the other though.  What helps them is the combination of the two - first the steam, then the cold, then the steam and so forth.  For some reason going back and forth between hot and cold helps open up their airway so they can breathe better.

 As the others said, the hospital will only help if he is in respitory distress.  The croup is really just a cold - it's just that their airways are so small that it gets harder for them to breathe.  They're fine - unless the airway gets closed completely.  The steroids do help open the airway and they work quickly - so if you don't want to wait for your pedi in the morning, you can get the steroids.  But other than the nebulizer or steroids, the hospital will just send you home.

And the nightime is by far the worst- especially the 1st and 2nd nights.  I didn't sleep at all when ds had it - and that just made me crazier because I was exhausted.  So my advice is - take turns with your dh watching your LO if you can- you need to get some sleep too! 

MrsRyan61804

Thanks ladies, it was another rough night. We did alternating hot steam bathroom and the cool air from the freezer. It seemed to get him a little more comfortable. I took him to the dr today and they prescribed meds. He did say the worst is probably over now though.

I can't complain this is his first major illness, and I can't even say its major. I just feel bad for my little guy he is so tired from being up coughing all night. 

Thank you again for your help!