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General health

Poorly baby with Croup ... what else can I do for her apart from Steam?

13 replies

Ghosty · 05/09/2004 08:29

'Sonly me ...
My poor DD has croup. I haven't taken her to the doctor as she is not really really ill, just miserable.
Poor little thing ... her nose is running rivers of goo and is all red and sore and she sounds like a barking seal. We have given her paracetamol and have sat for ages in a steamy bathroom for 3 nights now. No temperature but she spent most of the day today sleeping and dozing in my arms due to being so tired from coughing.
She is eating ... (but is off her milk feeds as she can't suckle as her nose is blocked) ... but she has thrown up a few times after a coughing fit ...
Any wise tips as to what to do for her? I really don't want to go to the doctor unless it is absolutely necessary as they seem a bit too keen to put babies on steroid treatment here (3 babies and toddlers I know have been prescribed steroids for croup in the last week) ... and as some of you may have gathered I am really not into that sort of treatment
TIA
G xxx

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Papillon · 05/09/2004 08:40

hi ghosty
i don't know much about croup tbh but perhaps working towards strengthening her immune system will help her internally fight illness. not sure if she is eating food yet but wot about flax seed - can you get it milled in NZ? good for immune system and has omega 9,6 & 3

hope she is better very soon

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Ghosty · 05/09/2004 08:47

He he he ... LOL Paps ... thanks for that! I do give her flax seed oil already ... (I sell it!!!) ... that is why she isn't as ill as the baby that gave it to her. One of the babies in our coffee group got it first ... came to my house with a terrible cough and streaming nose and dribbled all over DD's toys (grrrrr). Now DD and the other two who were here that day have it but DD is no where near as ill as the others (they are both on steroids now)!
Any tips on how to make her more comfy?...

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Papillon · 05/09/2004 08:53

cold air is supposed to be good against swelling in the throat and its winter there

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Twiglett · 05/09/2004 08:55

message withdrawn

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Twiglett · 05/09/2004 08:56

message withdrawn

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glitterfairy · 05/09/2004 09:02

Croup is awful Ghosty and as a mum who had a ds with it constantly I can really sympathise. I never did much more than paracetamol and stading in the Bathroom with the shower on. I also had a vaporiser which put menthol and eucalyptus wafts into the air in his bedroom. I had also been taught cranial techniques for ear problems from the osteopath and used them. Ds got it every winter though for years but (touch wood) is now eight and never gets it which is a blessing!

I think that over here you can buy all sorts of vapour type equipment to help them at night and not to have to stand in a sweaty rain forest bathroom.

Hope she gets better soon.

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toddlerbob · 05/09/2004 09:19

Can highly recommend getting a vapouriser - hard to find here but independant chemists sometimes hire them out. I bought one in Oz for about $50 but I think they are closer to $100 here.

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GeorginaA · 05/09/2004 10:06

Your poor dd :(

It was horrible when ds1 had croup. In addition to the steam/cold advice, the thing I found helped was sitting him up... I discovered this because every time in the night that I got him up and was in the process of telephoning the emergency doctor, he was so much better I talked myself out of a visit!

Have you got a seat that she could sleep in? I don't know how old she is... whether she has a bouncy chair or something that can be angled quite high to sleep in.

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Ghosty · 05/09/2004 10:55

Thanks for the advice! It is now 9.55pm and she has only just gone to sleep in her cot (normally she is sparko by 7pm) ... she just wouldn't let me leave her at all so I sat with her until she nodded off ... she's knackered, poor thing.
What's a vapouriser when it is at home? I have a bowl of water under the heater ... and a damp towel on top of the radiator but I can't leave that there all night!

Does anyone else get irritated when people take ill babies out for coffee mornings and spread their germs? It really pisses me off. The baby that came round was really sick poor mite and should have been at home but her mum still brought her round to dribble all over DD's things...

Maybe I am too precious? But I hate other children's snot and bogies!!!!!

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mears · 05/09/2004 11:01

Hope she gets better soon Ghosty.You might find that a change in air does help too - the cold night air does seem to help things.

Word of warning though - do not delay seeing the doctor if syptoms get worse. My youngest DS had to be rushed to hospital by ambulance when he could hardly breathe at all - steroids made a huge difference to him. Sometimes they are a necessary evil.

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Ghosty · 05/09/2004 11:07

Thanks mears ... I will watch her closely. I won't hesitate to take her in if necessary ...
PS ... I am still breastfeeding ... thanks to you

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earlygirl · 05/09/2004 11:11

how about trying to find a homeopathic remedy on here-always worth trying if you can find the right one it should work
homeopathic remedy finder here

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earlygirl · 05/09/2004 11:13

have you used some snuffle babe or some vics to ease the congestion?

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