Son has croup how contagious is it?

[MrsOs]

Hi we were up last night at a and e after my 4yr old son woke with the croupy cough in the middle of the night. He was given steroids and sent home. I kept him off nursery today and he won't go back there til next Monday but I had booked cinema tickets for tomorrow morning. He isn't terribly bad but has got a bit of a cough. Am I being completely irresponsible still taking him to the cinema or shall I cancel it and lock him away for a few days in the hope no one else catches this from him?

He isnt really coughing, once every few hours there is a little cough or sneeze..

My son has been blue lighted twice with croup. They gave him steroids at hospital which made him climb the walls and then, after the observation time, we came home. He was absolutely back to normal.

We have also had croup at home more times than I care to remember where I have managed to catch it early before he wakes up not breathing.

Yes - recurrent croup ie more than 5-10 times a year is a red flag that there might be something else going on. I guess it's up to you whether you can manage and just wait for them to outgrow it or push for investigations.

ds had severe croup episodes often triggered by allergy eg pollen in summer , cats any time
not always from a virus

I'm immunocompromised and I contracted croup when I was 4 years old. An ambulance brought me to the hospital and I was put in some kind of oxygen tent away from my parents for several days. I don't remember how sick I felt but I probably was otherwise they wouldn't have made such a fuss. So although Anyfucker might sound rude to you, she (or he) might have a point that you can wait a few days to go to the cinema and that way prevent another kid from suffeeing.

stardust interesting, thanks. Fingers crossed we're over it now, though she does remain very prone to colds and runny noses. More so than any of her classmates appear to be.

Stardust - you are right. Turned out to be tracheomalacia. Adenoids were removed in the end which has helped.

Oh wow - glad your LO got diagnosed in the end and that things have improved. Thanks for updating.
My LO had larygnomalacia and also needs her adenoids out which is why I've been reading up on croup and squeaking breathing.
Hope your ds feeling better now op!

Hi Stardust. Adenoid removal did not cure it completely but did make a big difference to the number and severity of episodes. Best of luck to your DD. Croup is so miserable!