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Original poster

croup!!!!!!!!!!!!

14 replies

chapsmum · 02/03/2006 21:16

to steam, not to steam, that is my question?
the chap is 8 months nealy, he puked up his medised (and a bottle of mild) had a sly breast feed then when to sleep,
now very helpful mn told me that cold was slightly better than steam, any other ideas appreciated!!
matres raised and vicks is on....
Am at the end of my wick have been up hourly for two nights!!!

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Original poster
chapsmum · 02/03/2006 21:16

god, a bottle of milk not medised!!!!!!!!!

OP posts:
ShouldKnowByFriday · 02/03/2006 21:17

My DS had croup at the age of 10mths and I sat with him for 10 mins every hour and that really helped with the symptoms.

Original poster
chapsmum · 02/03/2006 21:20

thankyou for posting but not quite sure what you mean, like sit him up with me or just sit in his room, thanks

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kid · 02/03/2006 21:23

When DS had it, I was advised to try the steam first, if that didn't ease it, try the cool air. They said open the window or street door or take him for a drive if possible.

Croup really is horrid, but I think the coughing sounds alot worse than it actually is. I really hated it when DS had it, I dreaded him ever getting it again.

Original poster
chapsmum · 02/03/2006 21:24

thanks kid, my mum is on at me to take him to the drs, I think he's ok but she keeps making me doubt myself. I worry enough as it is!

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crazydazy · 02/03/2006 21:29

My kids especially DD used to get this really badly when they were younger. We used to have to sit up with them all night long as DD just never stopped coughing all night. We were always worried for their little lungs and chests.

DD is now 6 and its the first year that she has only had 1 cough this year and it wasn't croupy and cleared up pretty quick.

The GP's and Doctors at the hospital told us that from the age of 6 onwards the airways widen and this reduces coughs. We have found this to be very true.

We were at our wits end a couple of years ago as they took it in turns all through the winter with coughs/colds but this year has been so much easier.

kid · 02/03/2006 21:29

The Drs didn't give us anything for DS, he was 8 months old too. They just told me to give him Calpol.
Hope he is feeling better soon, I think it took DS about 2-3 weeks to completely recover from the barking cough.

Original poster
chapsmum · 02/03/2006 21:35

thanks you two, Crazydays I sound aweful for moaning considering what you whent through. Would be easier if we could take it turn about but dp is in bed with tonsilitis!!!!!

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crazydazy · 02/03/2006 21:41

Oh no chapsmum I know exactly how you feel its very distressing listening to a child with croup.

It must be really tough on you with DP been ill too. Sleep deprivation destroys you. We always found the first night the worst and the second a bit better and by the third was able to get a few hours sleep. So hopefully things will be better for you tonight. Smile

Mum2OneAndOneMore · 02/03/2006 21:44

My ds has had this twice once was rushed to hospital with it.

Tips to ease the coughing & open the throat are to go into a bathroom with door shut & turn shower on leave it on until the room is steamed & sit in there with your ds for about 10-15mins.

Put wet washing on a turned on radiator in his bedroom to make the room moist.

Take the kettle to a small room & boil over & over again with all doors and windows shut to make the room steamy (make sure kettle is not nr ds & you are there at all times)

vics rubbed on neck & back helps too!

If he gets very bad where he is weezing take him to hospital as the throat can swell & start to close up which makes breathing hard (this is what happened to my ds) once at hospital they put him on a nebuliser (sp?) & gave him a steriod medicine which worked miracles cleared his cough & opened his throat, we were then sent home with 4 more doses of the steriod to give him every 4-6 hrs i think it was.

Goodluck its awful when they cant stop coughing isn't it? Please make sure you listen for his breathing though & go to hospital if he struggles.

Hope this helps Smile

AbbyLou · 02/03/2006 21:46

I don't want to worry anyone but please, please take tour lo to a doctor if the sympotoms get worse. My friend's lo (13 months) recently had a bout of croup. In the beginning the steam, cool air etc worked but he got very suddenly worse one day and ended up in hospital. He spent 2 days on a ventilator in intensive care. I'm not meaning to scare you just wanted you to be aware that it can get bad very quickly. Hope your lo is feeling better soon.

Mum2OneAndOneMore · 02/03/2006 21:49

Abbylou, I know what you mean by get bad very quickly, my sonw as fine in the day then within 1 hr the cough just got worse & worse then 30 mins later he was struggling to breath,i phoned an ambulance straight away, best move i ever made!

LucyJu · 02/03/2006 21:50

I was advised to use infant ibuprofen because it has an anti-inflammatory effect, and it seemed to help a bit. (It helps to reduce the swelling in the airways which makes it difficult to breath).
I also found cold air more effective than steam, but maybe that was just for my dd. In my experience, it never lasted more than 3 nights...
Hope this will be your last night of it.

Original poster
chapsmum · 02/03/2006 21:50

Aww thankyou for your concern and sorry to hear about your frightening experiences. Fortunetly for me I work in the local a and e so they are on call for me Wink.
Its so different when it comes to your own child and there is conflicting info on the steam thing!
worry far to much, have been obsesivly listening to his wee chest, poor soul!

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