Does anyone know anything about croup?

[loolop]

Went to the doctors today with DD (6months) and was told she had croup. I've never heard of it! Bless her she is struggling to breathe and has got a very nasty chesty cough. Anyone know of anything to help her? Especially at night, it gets a lot worse when she's laid down. TIA

Try running hot water in the bathroom so streamy and taking her in. Taking her out for drive at night as night air helps. Put a book or something under cot or mattress at head end so it slightly raised so she not lying flat, obviously making sure it is stable. Hope she better soon

hi yes i agree with orange head and if you are in any doubt that it is getting worse and it is hard for her to breathe take her to the emergancy doctor>>> had to with y daughter when she was 18 months they give her steriods to open up her airways a bit! hope she is better soon> x

DS used to have croup every year, and I became very experienced in it. You need to steam somewhere, what we did was use a wallpaper steam stripper to steam up the bathroom and then sit in the bathroom with him.

Agree with orangehead, baby needs a steamy atmosphere. Boiling a kettle in her room is another way of creating it, or using a humidifier. When my dd had croup I instinctively picked her up and held her upright against me; this turned out to be what was advised. Although obviously this position can't be maintained all night long! As orangehead says, raise the head end of cot so she's not lying flat. Am surprised dr didn't tell you all this or give you a leaflet. It's a common complaint in babies, but don't hesitate to call for medical help if it gets really bad at night.

Thanks everyone! Did the steamy bathroom thing today and it eased it and gave the poor little thing a break from coughing for a while, am gonna do it again before bedtime. Might give the docs a ring tomorrow though as she has started coughing up greeny muck as well - is that a symptom of croup as well or an indication it might be a chest infection now? Poor little thing, we are flying to Canada next Friday so hope she is feeling better!

Do see the doc but I think green mucus is good because yellow means infection, and it is better up than down. Good sign I think but stress am no expert so see doc.

DD had croup from 18 mths 'til about aged 7 -yes they eventually grow out of it. She normally had it twice a year and always with the onset of a cold. I used to stand holding her beside an open bedroom window, as the cold air opened up her airways. It's a real pain but you do get used to it! We did make a few middle of the night visits to A & E where they monitored her. However, it usually settled by the time we got there as the cold night air had eased it. Coincidentally, I flew from Canada back to the UK when she had her first episode of croup and we managed fine.
Best of luck!

Just to add, one GP diagnosed asthma for my dd, prescribing inhalers for treatment. However, going by my own intuition and mother's sixth sense, I didn't accept asthma as a diagnosis and so never used the inhaler. Sure enough, it WAS only croup and she never had any breathing/wheezing problems since.

loolop - exactly what everyone else says. my d had croup at 8 months and some days it was terrifying. we had a night time trip to a and e and they gave her steroids. she was sick with it too, too much coughing i think. i definitely second as much steam as you can and night air.
enjoy your trip.