Is this croup? What should I do about it?

[missingthemountains]

DS2 is 13mths old and has been grouchy and irritable for last 2 weeks - he had a mild case of hand, foot and mouth at the beginning but this cleared up.

He now has a number of very typical chicken pox spots appear which would totally explain the grouchiness. but he also now has a dreadful barking cough which is preventing him from sleeping and he can hardly catch his breath between coughs and it's clearly hurting him. He is drooling loads as well.

if it is croup then I know that I'm supposed to run the hot tap in the bathroom but unfortunately the bloody boiler packed up today so no hot water

do you think it is croup or CP? should I be getting him seen? and why do children only get ill after the GP surgery closes?

croup is a very barky cough as the airways narrow - they may whistle - my ds has had this a number of times. On 3 occasions it has been a trip to a and e who have given emergency steroid. Sometimes it hasbeen manageable by running a steamy room or a change in environment - eg taking him outside. I am not a doctor and with out hearing him i would not know the severity. It is a very scarey noise though and the doc has told me in the past not to hesitate to go to a and e if worried or he is struggling to breathe. I hope your baby is ok.

I wouldn't have thought that the cough is in any way related to the chicken pox.

I think you need to ring NHS DIrect for advice.

My ds had croup - scared me half to death. He sounded like a dog barking and was wheezing terribly. We rang NHS direct and the nurse listened to him and said it was croup. We gave calpol and he stopped within 20 minutes but she advised taking him outside (it was winter) or into the bathroom and running the shower. She said we were to take him in if he turned bluish around the lips but thankfully it never came to this.

Thanks - he is a bit wheezy in the chest too and we've given ventolin as he has had asthma type stuff in the past - doesn't seem to to be working much though.

will try NHS direct thanks

I think you need to take him to a doctor just to be sure. He is only a baby and chicken pox can have nasty chet type complications.

missingthemountains how is your ds?