Help with croup please

[paranoidpiggy]

Dd is 5 and was diagnosed with croup today, having been wrongly diagnosed with swine flu last night. Her temp has been very high today, hovering around 38-39 even with medicine. She is (finally) asleep now but just woke up in an absolute panic, crying, shaking and was sick It looked very watery but mucousy iyswim (sorry for yuck description). She seemed very confused and her face and pillow were covered in drool. I called NHS direct last night at 2am and they were lovely once we got through. I don't want to waste anyone's time, but do you think it's worth asking the out of hours doctor to come and look at her? Her throat is causing her a great deal of pain and she says it hurts to breathe.

[EldonAve]

who diagnosed the croup? did you see your GP?

Is she doing the barking cough? Cold air or very humid air will help

What medicine are you giving her for the temp?

[MuppetsMuggle]

I would take her to A&E if she is saying it hurts to breathe just to get her checked out and to be on the safe side.

Hope she feels better soon

[MsF]

just wondering if you've tried steaming up the kitchen...it helped my ds when he had croup at age 4. (boil the kettle .... put pans off water to boil on hob....)

I always say.... never feel you are wasting anyones time....its awful in the middle of the night to see your child suffer....
a nurse told me that they'd rather somone take their child to A&E out of ours...than sit up all night worried sick - trying to decide whether to phone or not.

[Sazisi]

To bring down her temp you can strip her off and sponge her down with tepid water.
Also you can piggyback calpol and neurofen junior, ie calpol then neurofen 2 hours later then calpol again 2 hours after that..

She sounds like she might need an inhaler? Mine have had them temporarily for croup

Have you tried sitting her in a steamy room to help her breathing?

It is good that she's thrown up some of the mucous

[paranoidpiggy]

Eldon, we saw a GP today. Swine flu was 'diagnosed' by the online symptom checker. As is always hte way though she perked up when faced with a giant box of toys in the doctors room. She really has been poorly today We're doing calopl and nurofen, but I have to say the calpol isn't doing much that I can tell, it's the nurofen that brings her temp down. She just didn't seem with it when she was sick, which is understandable I guess as she hasn't really slept for 2 nights now. WIndow is open, and I had her sat in the steamy bathroom with me earlier. A & E not really an option as my car is (typically ) in for repair

[MsF]

it is not excessive to call 999 if you cannot bring a child's temperature down with alternate dosing of calpol/nurofen ...nore if she is struggling to breath.

[paranoidpiggy]

So the being sick was a good thing? That's good to know at least

[MsF]

(referring to your car not being available....)

[paranoidpiggy]

MrsF, the only time I have ever had to call for an ambulance was when I had a severe throat infection and couldn't breathe and htey were brilliant. I know that in that instance my panicing made it worse, and i htink that's whats happening with dd

[MsF]

talking of mucous....I have an inhaler for occasional use...prescribed to me after i had a bout of night time coughing...resulting in bringing up loads of frothy saliva/mucous.

so agree.....the sick thing IS good...as after i was sick...i felt much better later.

for the sore throat (all that coughing) she could take DISPROL childrens tablets (paracetomol) so instead of calpol...dissove into orange squash almost invisibly- and will really sooth throat.

also the pain breathing may be 'just' the aches resulting from all the coughing....I talk from experience.

[paranoidpiggy]

O gosh I remember disprol. I always had to disguise the taste in Ribena! Will try that tomorrow, thank you

[MsF]

(i suffer from anxiety & panic attacks.. and my throat really tightens up...so i am with you on how it can all be worse the more anxious you/she feels)

[MsF]

don't forget...the disprol is INSTEAD of calpol!!!!

(tesco/asda even sell DISPROL....you don't have to go to a chemist)

[seeker]

My dd always found really really cold things helped - water with lots of ice to sip, ice lollies to suck. The dr said that it helped to reduce the swelling in all the little bronchial tubes that's making it hard to breathe. Also helps with the temperature and with the panic-y feeling. Try it, honestly - it helps. You can do it at the same time as making the room steamy.

[paranoidpiggy]

Thank you seeker. I'll pop a lot of ice cubes in a cup for her to drink when she wakes up

[seeker]

Good to know she's asleep - croup is SO scary, isn't it?

Make up a bed on the floor next to her and try to sleep a bit yourself - you must be exhausted too.

[MsF]

just what i was thinking seeker!

[paranoidpiggy]

She's in my bed seeker! She's been asleep on her ready bed this evening but has finally conked out in bed. I am tired. And a bit worried about what I have read about croup, since the dr didn;t really tell me much. She said there was no need to keep her away from other children, so we saw her friend today. Now I have read it's contagious if she coughed on them which she more than likely did It is scary, definately. My good friendhas a dd with severe asthma and it's given me a glimpse of what it must be like for them

[seeker]

I hope you're cuddled up next to her with the iced water ready to hand for if she wakes up. Sleep well - hope she's better in the morning.

[MsF]

how is she today?

[paranoidpiggy]

Much better today No cough to speak of, but terribly hoarse an still has a temperature. She slept a good bit last night too. Thank you so much for all your reassurance and help

[Elibean]

Croup is supposed to be bad for the first two days/nights, then improve...so am hoping she has a much better night tonight PP, you, too!

[MsF]

we've all been there! Glad she is brightening up...hopefully she won't get it again.