Croup in 2.5 yr old

[orangetickle]

DD has a barking cough and is complaining that her tongue hurts. No fever or rash.

From Google I think it might be croup. Do I need to call the doc (it's the middle of the night here) or can it wait until morning? Have given her some calpol and she's now sleeping.

No not unless she's struggling for breath.

Dd had croup recently at 2.2 and by night 4 we needed at 3am trip to OOH as every breath in was a struggle. The cough is VERY distinctive - I'd never heard it before but was 100% certain it was croup. Keep an eye on her and check for signs of distress eg pulling in of skin under ribs or trachea or listlessness.

Thanks. Hope she's doing ok now.

Croup usually lasts for 3-4 nights. Try and tip the bed up a bit so they aren't lying flat. Keep the room moist - eg wet towel or bowl of water in the room. When they go to bed a bowl of hot water with karvol drops is good.

If they wake up with the cough sit in a steamy room (ie shower running or near a boiling kettle), or cold air is supposed to help too. And lots of reassurance that it is fine and they will be able to breath easier soon.

If it gets worse than that, lips going blue or chest really pulling in then call an ambulance.

As far as I remember there is nothing much a gp can do. If it is acute then they need a nebuliser to help open the airways (had this the first time with DS - very scray).

Croup is usually fine once you recognise what you are dealing with and put preventative measures in place.

I think it is worst at night because the airways dry out and collapse a bit when laying down and that makes breathing more difficult.

They can give steroids but only do that if really bad.

Cold air is very good for helping clear it

She's been sleeping on and off all night (morning here now) so hopefully that will have helped.

Thanks for all the great advice - I remember croup from the Anne of Green Gables TV show years ago (!) when some little kid had it and it was a real emergency, so panicked when I realised what it was...