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Children's health

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Original poster

ds3 (2.8) has perfectly normal common cold in day but evil sounding dramatic croupy bark-like cough at night. whassat all aboutb then eh??

56 replies

ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 07:21

hmm?

OP posts:
Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 21:33

nah, hes not barking atm avena. just kind of wheezing as he breathes in. you know, straining a bit. sounds tiring

yeah pav, hes sleeping ok atm... theres lots of wee noises on the monitor tho... am just about to go up and lurk there for a bit to get a good listen...

OP posts:
avenanap · 14/09/2008 21:35

ds has asthma, he wheezes. What colour are his lips? Is he pale?

Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 21:36

yeah, hes ok atm. breathing laboured but nothing to get in a tiz about just now.

OP posts:
psychomum5 · 14/09/2008 21:37

you know that wheeze.........that is a stridor.

if it gets to sound really bad, and his lips tinge, and he goes pale, that is when you need him checked.

take care you and little guy, and many many hugs...xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 21:38

cant see him atm avena, hes sleeping in v dark room with his brothers.

he was kind of ok all day... snotty as hell and a bit clingy, but still wanting to play outside an stuff. he got v tired, ratty, clingy and droopy eyed for last hour or two before bed, bless him, but i dont think he looked alarmingly pale and i didnt see any blueness.

OP posts:
Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 21:40

will be alert to signs tonight (and actually aware of his condition unlike last 2 nights )
if id known all this last night i might have ended up taking him in...kind of glad i didnt

OP posts:
avenanap · 14/09/2008 21:43

If I were you I would turn on the light and check. It is important. He may have not been blue or pale during the day but if he is wheezy/stridor now then you really need to check him.

Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 21:46

hmmm, i could geta torch i suppose...

OP posts:
avenanap · 14/09/2008 21:47

Just turn the light on in the bedroom. If they are asleep then it shouldn't wake them.

psychomum5 · 14/09/2008 21:48

you know, he is probably over the worst of it.

tis not your fault you did not know, and testement to you and him that you have got thro it. you clearly did the right things anyway by instinct!!

I have done croup many times tho, and even now, we still sometimes end up admitted with it. altho between october and april is the worst time for it.

oh, and once they have had it, they are more prone to it. same as some people are prone to tonsilitis, some are prone to croup!

I have some special 'herbal' tabs..................(not herbal but I cannot remember what they are, as a whole)....anyway, I went to a special shop and they gave me some specifically for croup. I still have lots, you are welcome to some. if you give on the day croup starts it can help lesson the severity. it worked the last two time with jacob, he has not needed any steriods, so something must have helped. I can bring them/give them next time we meet up

xx

Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 21:56

god im not waking the lot of them - bugger that!

i went in with a torch... and hes not overly pale, not blue. his breathing does sound harder than normal, but a teeny bit better than last time i checked and nhe looks settled. compared the rise/fall pattern of his chest with healthy ds2 and croupychops is slightly pulling in his chest when breathing in, but honestly, it doesnt look like a&e time yet.

ah, thanks psycho. good to know (re susceptibility) ds1 was ear-infections (at least 3 burst eardrums poor thing!) i guess ds3's could be croup. if you let me know what those tabs are that'd be great! always good to have stuff like that on hand (like my failsafe cystitis drug i have to have about for instant heading off of acute agony )

OP posts:
Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 22:20

hmmm, just heard first barkin g cough of the night...

OP posts:
avenanap · 14/09/2008 22:24

Fill the bathroom up with steam and go and sit in there with him. If he's no better in 10 mins, he can't talk to you or is becoming very upest then you MUST call an ambulance.

Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 22:28

hes quiet again now... but i am planning on taking him round the garden in the cold moist air (wrapped up warm and cuddled/carried obv) if he worsens. dp been googling and apparenlty steam is not as great as thought. its the moisture that helps, and cold moisture sposed to be better... we'll see. will play it by ear.

rest assured tho avena, i will certainly get help if need be. thank you for your concern, time and help

OP posts:
Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 22:29

dont want to wake him if hes sleeping... surely rest is better than being woken and messed about with? he'll cry and get upset and that'll make it worse too...

OP posts:
avenanap · 14/09/2008 22:33

NO!!! NOT OUTSIDE IN THE COLD AIR! It needs to be steam as this will relax the throat and vocal colds, cold air will make it worse. Please listen. Steam works well for mild croup. Anything worse than this (can't talk, really coughing, no better after 10 mins) needs treatment in hospital.

I've trained as a paediatric nurse. No cold air. Seriously. You do need to keep him calm as upset makes it worse. If he wakes up barking then you need to do something!

Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 23:12

oh man, but wiki says: "One of the traditional ways to treat croup is to inhale hot steam. However, studies have found that this is not effective.[2] This was the sole treatment for croup throughout the nineteenth and most of the twentieth century.[citation needed] Hospitals today use a "blowby" apparatus for this purpose. Simpler remedies include taking the child outside in moist night air, or alternatively exposing the child to steam from a hot bath or a humidifier. There is little or no evidence to support their efficacy."

and other people lower down on the thread said stuff about night air being trigger for recovery...

he has had a wee coughing/barking episode and ive held and soothed him upright, back to sleep. he is now installed in my bed so i can keep closer eye on him and he doesnt wake the others. i ought to go to bed now really... long night ahead methinks...

OP posts:
Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 23:14

i will do steam rather than night air if he has a worse patch or two in the night. and yes, if it goes on for more than 10 minutes in any one 'episode' ill call an ambulance.

OP posts:
avenanap · 14/09/2008 23:15

Research says that it's (steam) effective for mild croup, anything more severe will respond to steriods so needs hospital treatment.

Try and get some sleep. He'll be better in the morning.

Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 23:17

he will. youre right.

thank you for your input. am quite pleased i wont be traipsing round the garden ... mind you, if the steam isnt calming him, i may try it. obv if he gets more distressed i wont keep at it, but if it calms him... i quite like the stillness of the night and it is a full moon tonight...

OP posts:
avenanap · 14/09/2008 23:20

OK.

I hope he's feeling better soon.

Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 14/09/2008 23:37

thanks. he'll be fine in the morning im sure

OP posts:
zebedee1 · 15/09/2008 07:42

How was your DS last night CG? Hope you all had some rest.

Original poster
ChupitosGalore · 15/09/2008 08:07

mornin

yeah, he wasnt too bad... managed to slip him a dose each of calpol and ibuprofen in a bottle when he woke second time grizzling in discomfort, and kept him in bed with me.

all in all a bit more sleep than night before last.

'course, ds2 is barking this morning...[sigh]

OP posts:
psychomum5 · 15/09/2008 08:16

I am glad you had a better night.

hugs for DS2..........domino effect in action in your house then!

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