Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

CROUP- barking cough remaining after steroids.

4 replies

Sarah24x · 03/03/2026 07:05

Hi all,
Ds (2) was seen by nurse on Friday and given antibiotic drops for conjunctivitis.

Over the weekend he developed a barking cough, fever and Monday early morning projectile vomited while coughing then again when waking. Also been off his food for the past few days. He hasn’t had the fever since Sunday night.

Took him back yesterday to the GP who said it was croup and prescribed him steroids. He had them around midday (dexamethasone).

He seemed to improve and ate his dinner, started drinking again. However during the night the barking cough returned and he’s projectile vomited upon waking.

Should the steroids have worked by now (? I’m not sure if he needs to see the GP this morning for more steroids. He doesn’t have strider and no sucking under ribs or in between ribs otherwise I’d take him straight to A&E.

He has needed oxygen and nebuliser twice (once at 10 months for bronchiolitis and he was also admitted in October for a chest infection). However both of these times he’s been sucking in under his ribs.

He did have a chest infection last summer which was only detected when I had taken him to A&E with a non blanching rash and they did a chest xray after his blood test showed raised infection markers. He only had a very slight cough at the time.

He's playing happily but his barking cough sounds horrible.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

OP posts:
Sarah24x · 03/03/2026 07:08

Just to add, he’s currently under ENT for recurrent tonsillitis and has been referred for an immunology panel.

OP posts:
healthyteeth · 03/03/2026 07:37

My dc had croup recently and had the same one-off steroid treatment. She improved that day with the steroids but the cough didn’t go away for a good while and was especially bad at night. It took about a week for the bark (& the fever) to fully recede.
Im just relaying experience for you. If you are worried you should get a toddler checked out at the GP.

Sarah24x · 03/03/2026 07:59

@healthyteeth thanks for your reply 😊 The cough seems worse today and he keeps dry wretching during it so will give them a ring when they open

OP posts:
OtterMummy2024 · 03/03/2026 09:02

Ask the GP, given the vomiting, if it could be pertussis (whooping cough).

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread