Croup Question.

Princess_Lily

This is the 2nd time in 2 weeks DS has croup.  Last night, the barking was the worse I heard...and he seemed a little more labored in his breaths (but no blue/purple tinges nor coughing up phlem).  Called the 24H nurse who advised me that I just need to make appointment with Dr.

I'm going off 4 hours of sleep...DS woke at 1am to crying.  Put him in a bathroom with a hot shower steaming up the air - this helped calm the fits down.  I decided he needs to cosleep because he seems scared not being able to breathe.  However, it took him a while to get to sleep after all said and done, and I finally went out at 3:30a.  Woke at 5:30a for my day.  There is a white noise fan in the room, and a cool mist humidifier too.

Did I do the right thing?  Should I have taken him to the ER?  I'm not sure if other mothers feel this way sometimes, but I feel, regarding medical issues, I seem to question my decisions if they are the right one or wrong one.  Does anyone else do this?

He seems to make the "bark" noise in his sleep even when he isn't coughing...but he is sound asleep and looks quite comfortable. 

 

FrickandFrack

It's tough to know but I've always been told if the breathing is labored, use a breathing treatment or go outside if it's a cool night or steam up the shower and let them breathe it in.  It sounds like you did the right thing but make sure the pedi sees LO right away today and mention the labored breathing.

Brewtowngrl

Next time take him outside.  The cold air is better for croup.  Barky breathing might have gotten me in the ER, but DS2 has asthma so that is a sign of an attack.  I think you need to go with your mom instincts on this stuff.  If you are not going to sleep because you are so worried then it is time to go in.  

Art Teacher

Going outside like the pp said will help, too.  The cold will help them breathe better. The steam also helps, so you did the right thing taking him in the shower/bathroom.

You can also elevate their mattress a little bit.  Our pedi said to run the cool mist humidifier, too.

If it's really bad or gone on a couple days, they can give your son a steroid shot.  They did that with our daughter a few weeks ago. 

Cheerio B

DD has croup a few times last fall. The pedi told us that we only needed to go the ER if she also had stridor (sp) which is when they make an awful wheeze sound when they breath in. DD had that when I first called at 1:30 in the morning but sitting in a steamy bathroom for 20 minutes made it go away. If it had not, or it came back, we were to go to the ER. She also listened to DD over the phone and probably would have sent us in if the coughing sounded too bad as well.

I think you did the right thing. Croup is so scary sounding I don't blame you for second-guessing yourself.

NicoleWI

DD is prone to croup and will wake up around 2:00 with terrible stridor (the wheezing noise) often with nothing more than a very mild cold the previous day.

If you have stridor, especially with the chest or skin between ribs pulling in when they try to breathe, go to the ER. Leave the windows open on the way there as the outdoor air may help. They will likely have your LO breathe in a mist of epinephrine or something and it will probably help almost immediately. 

If you have just coughing or very mild stridor, you can do the steam/cold thing. Cold outdoor air works much better for us than the shower. Steam doesn't really seem to help us at all.

If you get through one night, the next night COULD be worse, so I would call your doctor. Generally, if we had a mild case but were concerned re: the next few days, we could go in and they will give DD an oral steroid (decadron--it's in a little solution that she drinks). That steroid protects them over the next few days before it wears off.  

An important thing is to try to keep them calm, so you were probably right re: the co-sleeping/comfort things. If they get panicky or are crying a lot it makes it harder to breathe.  

Everyone second-guesses, and I definitely think it's A-OK to second-guess the doctors, too.  

cstw

You did the right thing. When DD has croup I do the steam shower thing and then immediately take her outside in the cold air. I do this a few times back and forth like that. Pedi said something about the hot-cold combo helps them quite a bit. If LO spikes a major fever then I'd bring him in but I think you did the right thing.