DD has croup - any experiences / advice please!! Sorry long...

[Jops]

DD woke up wheezing yesterday morning but other than that seemed happy. To be on safe side dh took her to NHS walk in where they said as she was wheezing on every breath in, rather than out was nothing to be worried about and sent home with only advice to watch out for diaphraghm / ribs collapsing and struggling for breath. So they came back and she seemed on form till tea time when she got a bit clingy and I heard that seal bark cough and thought may be croup. gave some calpol and a drink of water and she settled again, ate her tea and was on fine form playing with her older brother. Just before bed I gave her some honey and stuck a vaporizer in her room and she settled well. Kept checking on her and she was fine. At 11ish I went in to sleep with her and around 12.30 she woke crying. Gave a little nurofen and settled her but around 1pm she started to really struggle to breathe and after a few minutes of walking upright with her this got worse, not better so we were off to A&E where they gave steroids, observed her a bit and discharged us at 4am. She settled really well on getting back home after the steroid, breathing much easier and slept until 8ish.

She is back on form today, though still wheezing and I was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences of croup, how long it lasts, what can do to make her more comfortable at night etc. Asked the Dr what I could do and he said not much and that they only give the steroid once as no proof it works if given again. He said just to come back in if worried again tonight but obviously would like to do what can to make her comfortable and hopefully prevent it getting that bad again for her.

Thanks - sorry - said it was long!!

[Marne]

Hi, dd2 gets croup and it lasts around 2-4 days, i found steam helped, shut both of you in the bathroom with the shower on and let her breath in the steam.

Hope it clears up soon xx

[UndeadLentil]

DD1 has it at the moment (third year running) and we do the bathroom thing too.

I haven't given her calpol though as she doesn't have a temperature.

Getting steam in as soon as an attack starts is your best bet.

I hope she feels better soon.

[GhostlyPixieOnaPumpkin]

Steam is definitely your best bet, however, if she's still really wheezy by tomorrow, I'd take her to the GP as she might have a bit of an infection as well, and so will be able to have antiobiotics to clear it up.
It's really not pleasant at all, for either you or her. Have you tried raising her bed a little at one end?

[kitkatter]

DS2 had it at 25 mths. Terrifying! It lasted 3 nights.

Put full kettle in her room with lid off and you can let it boil. Read in medical book to leave window open as cold air will help to combine with hot water and kettle steam to make more steam.

I tried putting Olbas Oil on hankies around the bed too.

And raising the bed at head end.

For us it went as fast as it came on. Good luck.