Is Croup painful?

[laughingeyes2013]

My 6 month old has been to the gp who diagnosed croup.

He had been pulling at his ear and crying in pain yesterday, but gp looked and said ear was waxy but no sign of infection.

He has a growl or grunt at the end of every breath (expiration) which is why the gp diagnosed croup.

But he suddenly writhes and screams and arches his back, clearly in a lot of pain. It seems to come in waves and then settle again.

We've been prescribed steroids for croup but apparently because croup is rial they don't prescribe antibiotics. Also I know there is a reluctance to give antibiotics for ear infections these days, although as I said in this case the gp seemed to think ears were clear.

So if it's not ears what could it be? I am giving calpol and Nurofen but it really doesn't seen to touch it.

DS has had it a couple of times, once quite severely.

I think he found it pretty painful particularly sore throat from the coughing - he basically gave up solids for a month and afterwards developed a mild food phobia (he was 10 months, now 2 and starting to get over that).

I'd take him to have his ears looked at again too, ear infections can be easy to miss in my experience. But if there really isn't an infection, is there a chance he has a sinus infection or is teething? Both bring on ear pulling and sobs in my small boy.

Hope he improves soon - croup is awful.

with croup the stridor (sound) tends to be on breathing in ...
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Croup/Pages/Symptoms.aspx - and barking, seal-like cough

Stridor can occur on expiration in severe upper airway obstruction but usually indicates tracheal or bronchial obstruction.

the arching back might be reflux?maybe unrelated to croup.

how is his breathing ? if very rapid ie more than 30 to 40 per minute then can be sign of repiratory distress and you need to give steroids/get help.

how is he otherwise? family history allergies asthma croup?

take him back if any discharge from ear

antibitoics won't do anything for croup.

When DS has it he often complains his throat is sore so it must be painful in some way although he is only just 4 so can't articulate things particularly well!

Thanks for that. I suspect it might be sore throat then. Its most definitely an "I'm in pain" cry.

Although thankfully he's much better today.