Croup Cough Is Terrorizing Us!

Cool mist humidifiers can help. Many resources suggest steamy air (like in a bathroom) but that never did anything for my son. Only cool mist, like nighttime outdoor air or from a humidifier.

I believe that the treatment protocols for cough may have changed for little ones. I know it seems like they were removing a lot of the OTC medications from the shelves, so maybe there isn't anything really worth giving her? I'm guessing on that.

As long as she doesn't get stridor (the pulling in of the ribs and skin around her chest/neck when she breathes) then she should be okay. Did the doctor show you what to look for? When my son would get it (every winter for several years until he was bigger--like age 5) it usually lingered for several nights, getting slightly better each night. But not usually more than about 3. But his cold would still be there.

Croup normally only affects them at night (not sure why, but that is the norm). Even if she is coughing, it may not be croup... just a cold with a bad cough at this point.
I hope you guys get some sleep.

Heat restricts and cold expands so the colder the air the better to open up the air ways. It sounds so much worse than it is although it can be dangerous too. Since your daughter is on medication I would think it's just a matter of time now for her to get better. It can hang on for sure. That bark of a cough can really scare you though. I've had a baby get it and that is so scary but they made it better than I did I think. The steroid should work to take swelling down and open up the air ways too. So that and the cold air is what I would keep trying.

Ug, I know. We've been fighting this in our house for a week now, since we have two toddlers and they share everything. Things that (might) help:

Honey. It is a natural cough suppressant, and kids over the age of 12 months can have it. You can also buy Zarbee's Natural Cough Syrup, which honey plus zinc to boost the immune system (it is approved for toddlers).

A vaporizer (cool mist) in the child's room.

Cold air. If it is cool where you are at night, open a window. If not, take your child down to the freezer and have her stand in front of it and breathe deeply. This actually does help!

Children's Ibuprofen or Tylenol can help reduce the swelling in the throat. My son is on the steroid, and it took us three nights to see any results, so we relied on Ibuprofen to help reduce the swelling.

Since your child is over the age of 2, she can have Clariton (sp?) if you choose. It is an antihistamine and so it will help dry up drainage. You buy the Children's version over the counter and it can only be administered every 24 hours, so I usually don't administer it until before bed so the maximum affect is at night. I only use this as a last resort, but it sounds like you're there.

'Tis the season, unfortunately. We've been through the croup twice this year already, and it is particularly hard for the parents! Hang in there. Believe me when I say I feel your pain. Good luck.

Hopefully you got some relief last night but I also wanted to add that you can give her Children's Zyrtec. Even though it's an "allergy" medicine is a also a cough suppresent but is safe for small kids. We give it to my kids when they are coughing or have runny noses and it's perfectly safe. Ask your pharmacist or look at the bottle for the right dosage but it should be about a teaspoon once a day. If you give it to her right before bed it will help. The other moms also gave good advice and it sounds like she should be at the tail end soon.

Call the doc and find out if they can admit her. They can put her in an oxygen tent with moisture. It will help her with the sleeping too. You can crawl in bed with her if she gets scared. I always stay with the kiddos in the hospital overnight. My grand kids have stayed with Pneumonia, croup, bronchitis, etc...they needed the oxygen rich environment and the moisture. The nurses can also do breathing treatments all hours of the day and night to help open the airways up. The air pressure at the hospital is so much better than home nebulizers too.

I know how hard this is on you, I routinely got croup if I went outside the house after dusk. It was the most horrible feeling. I was always so scared I would not be able to take the next breath.

Being in patient will also give the doc a better idea of what is going on, if this is getting better or worse, etc...but the tent can make all the difference. Once she is asleep for the night you can lay on a cot or the other bed in the room until she needs you again. Hubby can also come up in the evenings to let you lay down and sleep. Of course she will want you but if you are laying there in her sight, even if it is asleep, she will feel better. Hubby needs to help.

When my son had croup they advised us to go out in the cold night air. That was in January though so it was cold. If it's warm out, then literally open up the freezer and do that. Wrap your little girl in a blanket and stand in front of the cold air with her, and let her breathe it in. It helps tremendously.

CROUP WAS THE WORST FOR US!!!

Hang in there!

Dr told me to bring my daughter in a hot steamy bathroom and breathe it in, then go outside to cool, even cold, air. Apparently the contrast helps the coughing. The Zarbee's cough syrup is natural and like honey, but it's thinner and seems to be easier for them to swallow. Cool mist humidifier in her room might help. We just had a terrible cough mostly at night and I was asking for help on here too! Good luck- those nights are so long!