Croup .... Help please

[crystaltips]

DD has had a headache for the past 2-3 days and I know that something was brewing
last night she woke in a panic and head difficulty catching her breath and the old familiar "sealion" bark.... I am presuming this is Croup? We vapourised the room and put Vick on her chest .... is there any point taking her to the doctor .... they don't have any appointments till Friday ( typical ) and I am fairly confident I know how to deal with it ....
Only thing that I am suspicious about it that "officially" kids grow out of croup by the time they are 6 .... DD is 8 ?
Correct me if I am wrong ... it IS viral and therefore antibiotics wont help ... ?
Thanks

No-one got any advice ?

Might still be worth an appointment to check her chest and cough anyway although chances are worst of symptoms would have subsided (at least that is often the way for me). I've always thought croup viral but you might want to be sure that there is no bacterial infection in ears, throat or chest underlying it.

Most kids do grow out of it by about 7 ish, but my dd is almost 12 and still gets it. Ds1 is 5 today, and he gets croup a lot. Last time it mutated into bronchitis, which is rare, but can happen. I would go to the doc just to make sure everything is ok if you are concerned.

Thanks ... managed to rant for an emergency appointment. Whereupon DD complained of a sore ear!
SO it's obviously right to get it all checked out.

I should go to the doctor just to reassure yourself crystaltips. My brother had croup when he was little and I remember my mum making him breathe with his head under a towel over a steaming bowl of water with eucalyptus and camphor in it! She also had some vile smelling lamp that burnt some kind of oil - could've been coal tar or something - anyone remember this and are they still around?

Hope she is better soon

crystaltips - if I'm right there is nothing the GP can give you to stop the virus - but medication can be given during an attack that will stop the attack itself. So, if anyone gets this badly, A&E can help.

CD the thing you're talking about is a Wright's Coal Tar vaporiser - my MIL was swearing by them when my ds got croup a couple of weeks ago. In the end I went to argos & bought a humidifier for £50. Nice and simple, automatic and you can add the essential oil of your choice to a little dispenser thing on top. Seemed to work for us but I don't think he got it too bad. Sounds like your dd got it much worse Crystaltips and I do sympathise - horrible isn't it.