DS has croup- how bad is it?

[chocolatebuttontheif]

DS is 2.6, and started having noisy breathing and hoarseness yesterday morning, since then he has got progressively worse, and has had about 4 hours sleep in the last 24 hours. I have been trying to keep him upright as his breathing seems worse when he lays down.

I have taken him to see the gp this morning, who said he has croup. He has prescribed steroids and penicillin for 3 days. I'm really worried as his breathing sounds awful!

Have anyone else's DC's had croup and how bad is it?other than calpol is there anything else I can do to help him?

Try to get some steam going in his room - such as a kettle boiling for a few minutes, or hang some damp towels on the radiators.

Rub some Vicks onto his chest, neck and back and Olbas Oil or Karvol drops on his pillow.

Steam can really help to soothe it.

Mine had it, grew out of it thankfully.

Ok heres what i did:

Wet towels hanging on the radiator over night.

Give ibubrofen as well as calpol as it has an anti inflammitory effect and croup is an inflamatory condition, so it will reduce that nicely.(and lasts for 6 hours in the system...check the label carefully though)Give it an hour before bed time.

Get him to sleep upright, i rolled up towels and put a phone book under the head end of the matress.

Sit with him in the bathroom, run the shower, fill the room with steam.

It lasts about 24-48 hours at a time, and sounds much much worse than it is, still bloody scary for you though.

Good luck, he will be fine, honestly x

DS has had croup 3 times. I found that steam did not help him, but cold air did so I would sit with him wrapped up by an open window when he was having an attack.

Sitting upright helped too, he used to sleep on me, propped up on pillows.

The first time he had it we ended up in A&E cos he was really struggling to breathe - it's called a "stridor" apparently. Thye put him on oxygen and steroids which sorted him out almost immediately so it's great your GP has prescribed steroids. Apparently they enlarge the air passages so breathing is easier.

I find with DS that the first night is always the worst so hopefully your DS will be OK tonight.

Thanks for your replies, they've eased my mind a little. He's just fallen asleep on the sofa watching Thomas, bless him.

Is it normal not to eat with croup? In the last 24 hours he's had 3 yoghurts, half a banana and half a packet of chocolate buttons.

There's some good info here (Patient UK site). It recommends cool air (if the child tolerates it) and says no evidence for benefit of steam. Cough medicine not a good idea if it makes the child drowsy (needs extra effort to breathe).

The first couple of nights are the worst. Worrying signs: Blue, Unusually sleepy, Struggling to breathe, Drooling and unable to swallow

Thanks pixie - that sounds awful!

He seems a little better now, I think the steroids have kicked in, bloody scary though!

croup is caused by the mucus in the lungs getting very sticky so it helps to breathe in steam if possible. boil a kettle in his room with the lid open (stay with it obviuosly) let him fall asleep sitting up and then he shouldnt cough as much. have lovely steamy baths. can you go to a steam room anywhere at a gym or do they not allow little ones in?

My dd has just had croup, she was off her food for a couple of days.