Croup attacks in the summer??

[Notquiteinsane]

My 2 1/2 year old SD has had croup a fair few times over the winters, but it has always been easily controlled with a steamy bathroom at silly clock for a few nights.
Out of the blue last night she was barking like mad and when I went into her was really struggling to catch her breath. Steam just didn't help. Eventually she calmed down and all was under control, but even today she is very raspy and barking (in the past has just been at night)
Any tips for the early hours struggle ahead, normally it gets worse for 3 nights before it goes? She is old enough to get worried by it now, so am trying to have a few options ready.
Thanks!

TBH your best option may be to get her to the GP today or even a&e overnight when she starts with it. They can give a one off dose of a medicine that really helps relieve the croup I think you sometimes get prescribed another dose for 12 hours later. I know the more stressed she gets the worse she will be so just let her do what she wants while she is upset with it.......

Fresh air can help a lot, if that doesn't calm it or she is struggling to breath then get to A adn E

Thanks for replies...GP wasn't forthcoming with anything other than the fct that it will get better on its own. Will be along to Out of Hours if we have a repeat I think.
Will also try the fresh air tip, thanks! If nothing else, the excitement of going outside in the dark will probably help calm things down :)

Ds2 has had croup numerous times and they have varied in severity, in his worse ones the symptoms have stayed around during the day. His first diagnosed episode was at the beginning of September (we then realised he had had it several times before, but not as bad). Sometimes he steam didn't help, sometimes it did. No advice really, although I used to sit in his bedroom with a boiling kettle so that the room he was sleeping in was steamed, which was fine when he was in the small room, but hasn't worked as well now he is in the larger room.

The majority of kids coming into A&E overnight are generally croup related and we get it under control with oral medication in 99% of cases so don't hesitate to go to your local dept overnight if your child is struggling.

Cold humid air works better than steam. Could you get a cold-air humidifier? We got ours from Argos for less than £25 and it has helped a lot. If she struggles breathing, go to A&E, the oral steroid works wonders and has effect over the next 12 hours too.

Another one here where cold air works much better than steam and we've had it three times in the Summer too.

I am (sadly) a bit of a croup expert as one of my Dc had Recurrent croup for many years. My advice would be not to wait to deal with it late at night if he is struggling to breathe at night. There can be long waits in a and e at night. Experience tells me that the second night is usually at least as bad as the first. Take him down to a and e this afternoon so they can give him the medicine - unlike the gp they have it available to give there and then. Good luck. I know how miserable it is!

my ds had recurrent croup in summer it was often related to having been outside in pollen etc. ask about testing for allergies and hayfever remedies?
olbas oil near pillow at night or in safely located saucepan of hot water
steamer
sometimes helped prevent.
otherwise we had steroid spacer to use when attack started to try and avoid needing hospital nebuliser. this often worked.

Thanks so much for all the replies!! Have been moving house so not much time to check...and pretty pooped :)
I have been giving her Piriton quite regularly as allergies are definitely having and impact and also she has an odd blistery rash on her leg which the Dr said was allergy related and use Piriton (although has been a week now...) Touch wood, the croup has got so much better where normally gets worse, so a definite link there! Will push for allergy testing though as dairy intolerance has been a big issue with her from birth and they did say she would be predisposed to being allergicy (technical phrase!)
Thanks again for all the advice :)