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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask you to talk me through croup?

38 replies

LokiBear · 16/10/2018 00:31

Typically, we are on holiday, and the illness curse has struck again. Dd7 has tonsilitis, which I caught before we left, got her to the GP who gave antibiotics and felt very pleased with myself for being so clever. No way was illness going to scupper this half term holiday! Anyway, we arrived today (uk based holiday) and Ive just been woken up by a seal barking in dd2's room. I've calmed her down and given nurofen and finally got her to sleep in my arms. Dd2 is 20 months. Breathing isnt too laboured, colour is good. Slight stridor on the inbreath. She is a noisy breather anyway. 24ish breaths per minute and able to suck on a dummy. What should I expect? Should be avoid swimming etc? Shes been fine all day. Slight runny nose but very slight and no temperature. That makes every holiday and short break since dd2 was born that one of them has been ill. Dd2 was even poorly for both her first Christmas and birthday. Gah.

OP posts:
agnurse · 16/10/2018 00:37

It sounds to be not awful but I would monitor her. You might consider running the shower and sitting with her in the bathroom while it's running so she can breathe in the hot steam. After about 20 minutes or so, wrap her really well in a warm blanket, take her out of the bathroom, and put her straight to bed. Make sure she doesn't get chilled.

If you notice she's starting to work really hard to breathe you need to take her in RIGHT AWAY. Children can easily become fatigued if breathing gets too hard and they can actually stop breathing. Look for signs of "sucking in" air under her rib cage and breastbone. If she's really working you'll see her muscles going in and out. That's not good. Then you'll want to take her in.

agnurse · 16/10/2018 00:38

Croup is often worse at night so you'll want to be especially careful at night.

Original poster
LokiBear · 16/10/2018 00:41

Ive got my hand on her tummy. No sucking in. Im going to sleep next to her. It was worse when she was crying so hopefully holding her will keep her calm.

OP posts:
FoldyRoll · 16/10/2018 00:52

Try to keep the air humid. If there are radiators where you are staying, hang wet towels in them. If not, and you can safely do so, boil a kettle in the bedroom. It may also help to raise the head end of her bed a little.

Jamiefraserskilt · 16/10/2018 00:56

Steam helps so into the bathroom with a hot shower running. Tea also helps as does something light to eat. Cut back on dairy.
See if you can get their nose open and their mouth shut at night by side sleeping.
Mine still get it and they are teens!

PersonaNonGarter · 16/10/2018 00:59

DS was blue lighted to hospital with croup. Take it seriously if it seems to be getting worse.

vinergartom · 16/10/2018 01:07

Any stridor at rest should ideally be treated, if she stays like this throughout the night and doesn't worsen I would still take her to be seen tomorrow as she may still need steroids.

vinergartom · 16/10/2018 01:11

Also as persona said, it can get very serious very quickly, keep a very close eye on her as when there's mild stridor at rest it can get a lot worse when they wake. Any sign of increased work of breathing and worsening stridor at rest or awake take her into A & E or call an ambulance.

SeaToSki · 16/10/2018 01:13

If you get through the nigt ok, an indoor swimming pool tomorrow would be good. Nice humid air. Just a little quiet bobbing about. Then lots of fluids and keep monitoring.

HenryMouse · 16/10/2018 01:17

DS just had croup. Side sleeping really helped. I had him in with me and put him in the recovery position when his breathing/coughing got loud.

As others have said, watch out for laboured breathing, sucking in.

I’d skip swimming, even running about and singing set off ds’s coughing, keep warm, put bowls of water around the room or wet towels as pp said, with heating on.

Impossible to do but the doctor said “get him to sleep sitting up”!

Katedotness1963 · 16/10/2018 02:06

My younger brother had croup as a child. It was terrifying to watch. I’m sure my mum used to fill a bowl of hot water to steam him. And he seemed to prefer leaning over tha back of a chair when it was at its worst.

fretnot · 16/10/2018 02:25

My DS had it last year age 2. It was very frightening; what was worse was he seemed very frightened by it. I took him to A&E in the middle of the night and he seemed to improve on the way over. The nurse said that going outside in the cold air was one of the best remedies, or keeping the window open. They gave him steroids but next time he has it I’ve resolved to wrap him up in the pushchair and walk him outside a bit.

Snitzelvoncrumb · 16/10/2018 02:30

Steam doesn't actually do anything, keep the room warm the cold air makes it worse. The seal cough is ok, but the raspy stridor is the issue. Go to the local hospital for some steroids and it should go away.

nocoolnamesleft · 16/10/2018 02:31

I would ALWAYS treat if ANY stridor at rest, because it will be so much worse when crying/panicking etc. Amazing the difference a quick slug of steroids makes.

Thishatisnotmine · 16/10/2018 02:43

Dd1 had croup loads, fortunately has grown out of it, I think her last bout was just before she turned three. If we got to her really quickly, we could easily calm her down. A few seconds too late and she got more and more upset so the cough got worse. Sitting up did help. She was always fine in the day.

I would probably avoid swimming as ifher throat is a bit sore the chlorine will really irritate it.

Minimamame · 16/10/2018 06:40

Ds2 had croup as a baby and I invested in a humidifier...best thing ever. If you're getting one make sure it's a cool mist one(for safety reasons). Got mine in Argos.

LoniceraJaponica · 16/10/2018 06:48

I know that steam is usually the standard advice, but in DD's case it was cold air that helped her breathing. DD used to have a reactive airway and suffered recurrent croup until age 11.

Amanduh · 16/10/2018 06:52

Cold air.

Shootfirstaskquestionslater · 16/10/2018 06:57

the NHS website says not to put them in a steamy room so don’t do that.

Chrisinthemorning · 16/10/2018 06:58

DS has had croup quite a few times. He spikes high temperatures with it.
The steroids are like magic so I would try to get those if you can.

MiniMaxi · 16/10/2018 06:59

DS (age 2) has recurrent croup (without stridor though) and has been ill every holiday in the past year so I feel your pain!

Hope she is a bit better this morning. Best treatment is dexamethosone - in our experience it will fix it almost immediately. Local GP or walk in may or may not be willing to give it, a&e definitely can and almost certainly will.

Re breathing rate for your info - our son’s paediatrician said rate of 45-50 while awake is “watch closely”, 60 is a&e, and 70 is ambulance.

Hope the rest of your holiday is less eventful!

MiniMaxi · 16/10/2018 06:59

PS cool mist humidifier can help too (jury is out re steamy bathroom)

toomanysmallpeoplecallmemom · 16/10/2018 07:05

Latest advice is no steam or steamy baths but cold air instead

Original poster
LokiBear · 16/10/2018 07:14

Thanks for all of the advice. The stridor sound quickly subsided as she calmed down and fell to sleep. She actually slept quite well after. Im hoping its a mild bout. My older dd never had croup so I've never dealt with it before. Warm milk seemed to help and once I got her calm, she slept propped up and on her side. Hopefully, we will be able to manage it without medical treatment, but if she gets worse I will tske her to A&E.

OP posts:
agnurse · 16/10/2018 10:30

You definitely want to keep her calm. The #1 rule of working with kids with croup is DON'T GET THEM WORKED UP. It makes the problem worse.

Definitely agree with the steroids if it gets worse. If it gets serious enough to go to A&E the standard treatment (at least in my area) is epinephrine via nebulizer and oral steroids. (Ventolin and related drugs don't work on croup because it's an upper airway problem. Bronchodilators work on lower airways.)