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Original poster

Anyone know about croup (sp)?

30 replies

Chloe55 · 18/06/2006 20:08

Ds (18 weeks) started with a really hoarse cough yesterday which has continued through the night and throughout today. He sounded dreadful last night - I usually give him a dreamfeed which he takes fine normally but he would only have a couple of ounce which took him an hour because he was struggling to breath really. I had in on my bed with me and when he eventually went into a deep sleep he was breathing ok but as soon as he woke or stirred he started really bad with the cough and bad breathing again. I was so worried at one point I nearly took him to casualty but dh convinced me I was overeacting (it's just so heartbreaking to see your baby distressed).

Also, I started him on solids last week and he has gradually started rejecting his milk but loving the food. Today he has hardly had 4oz of milk, I thought it might be due to a sore throat but thought I would try him on his baby cereal anyway which he guzzled so maybe not - any suggestions on how to get him to take his milk? He has only gained 10oz in 4weeks, I am worried. (He was 9lb 10oiz at birth and is 15lb 10oz now) so he is not a tiny baby but I have always been used to him being quite hefty.

Any words of advice gratefull appreciated.

OP posts:
vitomum · 18/06/2006 20:13

chloe55 sorry to hear your ds is not well. to be honest i do not know much at all about croup so i hope someone comes along that can tell you what you need to know. In respect of the weaning i think i would cut back on the solids, maybe even stop them altogether for now if they are making him cut back on his milk that much as milk should be his main source of food for still. His weight gain sound fine however but another reason to stop with the solids is that the latest guidance is not to give solids before 6 months. He has maybe not yuet got the appetite for milk and solids yet in any case. Hope his cough clears up soon.

sandradee · 18/06/2006 20:17

Hi

I'm not a Dr but I think that you should take your child to see one to make sure that a) it is definitely croup b) to make sure that he does not have something else such as bronchiolitis.

I don't think you can ever be overeacting when it's your child's health involved and I would say 99% of the time your hunch is correct.

kid · 18/06/2006 20:20

When he starts coughing, you should take him into the bathroom and run the hot tap, the steam will help ease the coughing. Or placing a damp towel on a radiator works but I'm sure you wouldn't have the radiators on in this weather.

alexsmum · 18/06/2006 20:21

if your baby is struggling to breathe then get him to a&e.they will probably give him a nebuliser which will relax everything and make it easier for him.
Keep a close eye on his chest.if it looks like his chest is drawing in at the base of his ribs or at the base of his throat when he breathes then you must take him to the hospital.
in the meantime, take him into the bathroom and get the shower running to make it really steamy.this should help.
both my dss' get croup a LOT and have both been hospitalised.it's a really nasty bug -don't take any chances.

Original poster
Chloe55 · 18/06/2006 20:22

I know what you are saying vitomum, but I should explain that ds was having 8oz formula 6 x a day for a couple of weeks and was still waking in the night and was very observant of our food, the hv suggested we start weaning. I only give him 2 tspoons 2x daily of the baby cereal (he hates baby rice) mixed with milk yet he will scream for more, I don't give him more though - I then try and get him to have his bottle which he has started refusing Sad Just not sure if it is as a result of the illness or whether he is just being stubborn. If I don't give him food - which I have done right up until teatime today - it seems he won't eat anything Sad So, although I understand exactly what you are saying I hate to think he is not eating anything if you see what I mean. Believe me, I would rather he just have the milk, I know there are more calories in it and would have held off the weaning if I thought he was satisfied on the milk alone but now I don't know if I have made a grave mistake. Maybe he would be taking the milk now had I never introduced solids

OP posts:
Original poster
Chloe55 · 18/06/2006 20:25

Alexmum - he doesn't struggle all the time - it is only when he gets worked up due to a coughing episode and then he calms down and breathes normally - could this still be croup? I am booking him in at the doc tm. He does seem better today, just worried he isn't getting enough energy due to not eating well.

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alexsmum · 18/06/2006 20:26

does it sound like a seal barking when he coughs?

what you have to watch out for is called 'stridor'.it's a noise,sometimes barking noise when they breathe in.

alexsmum · 18/06/2006 20:28

so long as he's getting fluids then don't worry about the food for the mo. try and give him water if he won't take milk.
is it much worse at night?

LIZS · 18/06/2006 20:28

Don't want to alarm you unduly, but think you should get him checked out tomorrow first thing if he is still like that. At 3 months dd had bronchiolitis and sounded very hoarse, could n't cry properly (more like a cat), wouldn't feed well and was sickly. By the time we saw a dr she was quite dehydrated and her oxyegn level ahd fallen.

Is he running a temperature ? You need to keep an eye on his fluid intake in case he becomes dehydrated and lethargic, try offering milk little and often, and if he doesn't seem right, struggles for breath (ie. is sucking in his tummy under his ribs) or seems blue around the mouth call a dr asap. Bronchiolitis is very common amongst young babies, more so than croup which tends to affect older babies and toddlers, and is triggered by the common cold virus, RSV.

Hopefully it is just a passing cold and your little chap will feel better tomorrow anyway.

sandradee · 18/06/2006 20:30

I agree with Lizs. My DS had bronchiolitish and he was hospitalised.

Don;t panic but never think you are overreacting. Better to be safe.

alexsmum · 18/06/2006 20:30

to be honest chloe-i'd just take him up to a&e.they are very sympathetic to parents with babies and will always tell you it's better to be safe than sorry.if they send you home then what have you lost?

foxinsocks · 18/06/2006 20:32

I agree with LIZS (as I always do Wink). If you are worried at all, I would call the out of hours GP (NHS direct will have the number or call your surgery and they should have it on the answering machine). If you're worried about breathing in the night, then take him to A&E. We too went through bronchiolitis (although ds was a bit younger) and it was horrible. You can't be too careful when they are still so young.

Original poster
Chloe55 · 18/06/2006 20:33

Yes he is much worse at night and he does sound like a seal barking, I am listening thorugh his monitor now and he sounds pretty relaxed and not chesty. He has just had a bit of a coughing episode about 5mins ago but has settled again. Hopefully the fact he ate his food (which had his milk in) will add to keeping him hydrated and I am hoping he may take his dreamfeed later although I don't hold out too much hope.

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alexsmum · 18/06/2006 20:34

it does sound like croup.
if he starts again tonight and seems like he is struggling then please take him up to a&e.they can sort it so easily and it saves the distress.

Original poster
Chloe55 · 18/06/2006 20:36

I think in theory I maybe should have taken him to a&e last night as I was hysterical about how bad he sounded but dh convinced me he would be fine - I banished dh to the floor and ds shared my bed. However, he does sound better. I will def get him booked in first thing in the am with the gp though. Sometimes I just feel like I overeact (I am a bit of a worrier) but you are all right - you must trust your instincts and I should have done last night really.

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alexsmum · 18/06/2006 20:37

just read that he doesn't sound chesty.it's nothing to do with the chest-what happens is the voice box gets infected and the throat becomes swollen which is why you get the noise.the paed nurse told me last time ds was in that once they are making that noise the throat is 'reduced'iyswim by about 70%.

foxinsocks · 18/06/2006 20:38

don't beat yourself up about it though - it's very hard to know what to do, especially in the middle of the night! But if he gets bad, they can help him at hospital (esp with croup) so at least you know it's an option if he gets bad again.

Original poster
Chloe55 · 18/06/2006 20:40

Would that poss have something to do with his porr appetite then?

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Original poster
Chloe55 · 18/06/2006 20:41

I guess so, what a stupid question

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sandradee · 18/06/2006 20:43

When DS was ill the Drs said if he had a breathing rate of 40 breaths per minute and you could see his ribs when he breathed in that you should go to A&E immediately

LIZS · 18/06/2006 20:47

Quite possibly. tbh the fluid is far more important than any solids if he is unwell, if he is genuinely hungry he'll readily take milk instead especially given that he has only just started them.

Whatever the cause, things that may help include raising the head end of his bed by putting books under the feet of the cot at a that end or rolled towels under the mattress and humidifying the air in his room with a humidifier, vaporiser, damp towels and/or bowl of water. If he starts to cough/wheeze take him in the bathroom and run a steamy shower.

hth

alexsmum · 18/06/2006 20:48

where in the country are you chloe if i can ask?

Original poster
Chloe55 · 18/06/2006 20:49

Thanks everyone, I guess it is steam steam steam all the way and if he gets bad A&E and if he stays the same then GP tomorrow, thanks for all your help Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
Chloe55 · 18/06/2006 20:49

West yorkshire alexsmum

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Original poster
Chloe55 · 18/06/2006 20:50

why is there an epidemic? or is it not contagious?

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