Croup advice

**Marley&Me** · May 15th, 2015, 08:52 PM

Just found out dd has croup. Went to bed fine last night, woke this morning wheezing. Took her to the doctor about 3pm and got out at 6pm. She had a slight fever, but have since given her panadol and it's down. She is fine other than the wheezy breathing. I just read that if the is wheezy while resting to take her to the hospital. But she is wheezy all the time.
It just doesn't seem hospital worthy. The GP said to take her if it gets worse, but the wheezyness is probably about the same. She cleared up whilst on the machine at the GP office and again when I just gave her the at home ventolin spacer thing. But the wheezing just comes back.

I have no experience with this and I'm a little scared. But I really don't want to wait in emergency for 5 hours to either a) go home or b) stay the night in hospital. Is this something I should be taking more serious? Or should I just keep an eye on her overnight?

**MamaK** · May 15th, 2015, 09:12 PM

My daughter (now almost 7) gets sporadic croup (just turns up without illness).

She goes from barking cough, to wheeze, to stridor (squeaky breathing) very quickly and she always needs steroids to help.

Croup always gets worse at night.

Croup is 'usually' caused by a virus of the upper airways (throat and windpipe)
Children have naturally narrow airways, so any inflammation can cause it to become even smaller, which can make it harder to breathe.
The 'bark' is due to the force of air attempting to get out of a tiny airway when they cough.

Many children do not need support for croup, but some do.

If your daughter is struggling to breathe or having any trouble breathing, she should be seen again. She was put on a 'machine' at the dr? Most probably a nebuliser? If this helped, then it was because she was already having trouble breathing. It will get worse overnight, and it's always worse on about day 2-3.

If she squeaks when breathing, or makes a harsh snoring sound when breathing out, especially when resting, can't swallow well or you feel she is getting worse, please take her in.

I hope this has helped and not frightened you!!!

Good luck! Croup is horrid to watch from a parents perspective!

You can also call HealthDirectAustralia/NurseOnCall and they can talk you through your daughters symptoms and give you more advice.

**Marley&Me** · May 15th, 2015, 09:18 PM

THanks MummaK! Yes it was a nebuliser, she was very wheezy. I just when in and checked on her and shes on her tummy, but sleeping quietly. No wheezing anymore. Is this odd to go from wheezing whilst sitting in the bath playing to fine when asleep?? What exactly do they mean 'resting'? Is it sleeping or just quiet activity?

**Andie78** · May 15th, 2015, 09:34 PM

I don't have any advice, but a friends daughter (2.5yrs) recently had steroid treatment for croup. She'd had a cold/cough, then woke up around midnight struggling to breath & they called an ambulance. Hospital gave her steroids & they were sent home a few hours later. Apparently the steroid treatment works quite quickly. Fingers crossed your dd makes a speedy recovery. xx

**Teeki** · May 15th, 2015, 09:54 PM

My DD (almost 4) gets croup quite regularly in winter. It's just at night, it's just a barky cough. The first time it scared her, she panicked and her breathing suffered. Now, it's just the cough and it's just at night so we never bother worth doctors.

My DS (18 months) is a different story though. He gets very wheezy very easily. He's only had croup once, but he does get bronchialitis a lot. Any cold or virus he gets leads to wheezing, and it's day and night. To me, it sounds a little more like your DD is in this category rather than just croup. When DS gets sick, we need to watch his rate of breathing, his throat and his chest. He always gets a tracheal tug, but if it's pronounced, his breathing rate increases, and his chest is noticeably sucking in, we have a trip to the ed.

Like your DD, he's fixed with a ventolin puffer and spacer. We've only just gotten this treatment over the weekend during our latest visit to hospital. We now have an asthma action plan, so any wheezing and he has the puffer, if he's sick and wheezing he gets the ventolin and a different puffer (can't remember what it's called) and if he gets worse he has two rounds of each, calling an ambulance if they don't work. Then he gets steroids at the hospital.

The problem is that their oxygen saturation levels drop - on the weekend DS was at 90%. This will be higher when they're upright, lower when they're lying down/sleeping.

We were told it could just be that he has narrow airways and he'll grow out of it; it could be asthma that he'll grow out of; it could be that he's the second child and he's catching everything under the sun and it's taken a toll.

If I were you I'd see a pediatrician if you're concerned, breathing problems in little ones are always scary.

**Marley&Me** · May 15th, 2015, 10:23 PM

I don't have any advice, but a friends daughter (2.5yrs) recently had steroid treatment for croup. She'd had a cold/cough, then woke up around midnight struggling to breath & they called an ambulance. Hospital gave her steroids & they were sent home a few hours later. Apparently the steroid treatment works quite quickly. Fingers crossed your dd makes a speedy recovery. xx

Andie, the doctor prescribed something called Predmix. She had 3ml tonight and for the next 2 days. Maybe this is a steroid??

Teeki, wow sounds like you know the drill at your place lol. Very informative! GP did say she had a bit of bronchilitis too.

She is still sleeping quietly thank goodness. I have put the vapouriser in her room to keep it moist and also pulled the old baby monitor out. Plus I will have both our doors wude open tonight, just to make sure

**MamaK** · May 15th, 2015, 10:27 PM

Predmix is the stuff you want! Yay! Yep, that's the steroid treatment that will help to keep her airways open. I have a recurring script for that, so when my DD gets it, I just head straight to the chemist.

If your DD is asleep and breathing fine, then that's great! Resting means, quietly sitting/lying while awake or sleeping. Some kids will only get the respiratory distress while they are awake, and if that's the case for your DD, I suggest keeping her quiet at home for the next few days if you can.

Good luck for getting some sleep tonight!

**Teeki** · May 15th, 2015, 10:37 PM

Lol yes, unfortunately we are used to it! Great that you've got the premix

And great that she's sleeping soundly! Does make me question the croup diagnosis, a sign of croup is that it's worse at night with a cough. Our pediatrician would likely label it as "viral wheeze" and wait to see what happens next time.

Sounds like you're on top of it