Another (potential) croup question

[Netix]

Can kids get croup from day care?

Since very late Saturday night, my little Man has had a rather shocking cough, maybe croup. He was in his new daycare on Monday, and Tuesday. He sounds very wheezy, but doesn't seem to be in discomfort, and sleeps fairly well, or else we would have taken him to hospital. He asks for medicine, which so far has only been panadol and cough medicine, and that seems to help. Does this seem like the right number of days for incubation of the croup virus? (if that is right?)

I will be taking him to the doctor tomorrow morning for a proper diagnosis, and proper medication, as I have no more (I honestly thought he wouldn't get croup anymore, as this is the first I have heard it in our new warmer climate since moving from the damp town we were in), and it went out of date.

Dammit, now I have guilt for not taking him to hospital, even though he seems 'ok' for a sick little kid. Please don't bash me, I feel bad enough as it is.

[Trillian]

I never took my kids to the hospital for croup except for DD1 once because she was really bad - so long as they were comfortable there was no need for it. I just always made sure that I had enough redipred/predmix but if I got caught out I just made do till I could get some, so don't beat yourself up or think you are bad. Its not impossible that he could have gotten it from daycare, but because he's already prone to getting croup anyway, it's probably just coincidence that he's gotten it now after being at daycare. It was more likely that he's picked up a minor sniffle/cold at daycare and that's turned into croup. ANd don't think that climate can affect it - I live in a very dry area and my kids still got it.

[Netix]

Okay, thanks. Was starting to get the guilts I think as the last lot of panadol and cough mixture hasnt done anything positive for him, and he is sounding worse and more out of breath (so am dreading the night), and since I don't have any premix now. As long as I had it, I wouldn't worry too much about taking him to the doctors. I thought it could have been a climate thing, as when it was cooler and damp air he always seemed to have it, but as soon as we came up here to far north west vic, he's been really good.

I guess if I take him to hospital tonight they *might* give him predmix, or then again, they might not, and just give me a script for something, which I can't get until tomorrow anyway. I just hate listening to that cough and wheeze.

[Catastrophic]

Don't feel bad for not taking him to hospital. You are listening to your child - you yourself said that he is coping fine. Follow your mummy instincts.


Cat xox

[Trillian]

If he gets to a point where he isn't coping and getting distressed, then take him to the Hospital and ask for a dose of predmix, they will give it to you for the night and then tell you to go to your GP in the morning.

[Netix]

Thank you again. We are all having a bit of food, and I'll put dd to bed and get the Boy to mind her. Then I'm going to take the little Man to thr hospital. He's looking really awful. He said he doesn't want to go to the doctors because he "doesn't want anyone to look at him" (gosh he's cute), but his temp is also on the climb. He had a short bath before, and after I put him on the floor from the change table he just lay down on the floor instead of coming to the lounge to get dressed.

Thanks Trillian for telling me what to ask for.

[RhiChiChi]

How is your little man doing?

[Netix]

We are back from the hospital. It took us right on two hours. Not bad I suppose. He did his barky cough thing as we were waiting in a cubicle, and I heard the doctor and nurses talking about him that "he did sound very croupy", and "to give him predmix". So, further examination, and we got a dose of predmix, and a script to fill out tomorrow.

He's doing okay, I could hear him snoring in my bed from the lounge, and he's just having a couple of coughs again. I feel better that I took him, I know he should *hopefully* (fingers crossed) have a better night tonight than last night. I didn't want it to get really late into the night (or even worse, early morning), and me have to take him then, since the Man is not home tonight.

[Catastrophic]

Lad that it is a good outcome. Hope the mess kick in an he gets a good night sleep xox


Cat xox

[Trillian]

I told you they would do that Glad that he's a bit better - now that he's had a dose of predmix it will make a huge difference.

[Netix]

I nearly ended up taking him back again shortly after that last post last night. He went straight into our bed, but after those "few coughs" all hell broke loose and he was coughing like nothing else, getting very upset, and eventually threw up after about 10 minutes of solid coughing. It wasn't much better after he hurled, he was inconsolable, and in between sobbing and coughing, he said he knew he had to settle down. The poor little guy. He seemed so short of breath, and I called the hospital, and spoke to the doctor who saw DS. He said he was happy to admit him overnight (even though I didn't want to leave him!), and give him I think some asthma treatment.

Gave DS some panadol and cough mix (he was due for them at that time, conveniently!), and very soon cuddled into my lap, sitting up as he did when he was a little baby, tucked one hand behind his head and went to sleep. Awwww. THen came the task of getting him into bed after I had to rearrange pillows to prop him up a bit, as that seemed to be a bit better (him upright). Got that done, and put him down, and he slept pretty well all night. Thank fully.

He is being so good today, but still sick. I am kicking myself because I just looked in the fridge after I got home now, and I DO have a bottle of predmix in there, and it only expires THIS MONTH! OMG! Why didn't I look in there yesterday?!?! At least he is okay now. But I do wish I had looked in there yesterday. would have saved so much heartache. Those tiny little bottles... I just didn't think there was one in there....

[Caz_88]

Hi Netix!

I know this thread died down a few days ago but thought I'd let you know a few things that I have found helpful..... I had croup terribly as a child, I used to go blue, pass out and stop breathing in the worst bouts that I had.However, I never grew out of it, and I still deal with it as an adult Ive been told that adult croup is "impossible" that it is just asthma, took me a good 12 months to prove the doctors wrong

The pred is a lifesaver for me, I take a 2 week course of the tablets at the change of seasons each year, cold >hot and hot > cold. Ive learnt to judge when the symptoms will start. I can tell you mine is DEFINATELY climate related, however, I also aclimatised.... My first 2 years in QLD I was symptom free, but it returned. Croup for me is always a sign that I have a slight cold or something coming on, but not any specific type of bug, i get it with cold, flu, and I even got it due to Glandular fever once.

It might also be worth getting your little boy a humidifier for his room, and also, to put a pile of pillows UNDER the mattress at the head end whenever he starts showing symptoms, so he is sleeping on a slope..... just some things that helped with me and my brothers :-)

The hot shower thing works too for the actual attacks...... not very environmentally friendly, but it still works for me to this day ensuites are usually better to trap the steam, turn the hot tap on full pelt and sit him up on the bench, to be closer to the rising hot steam...... Mum always told us to take big deep breaths and see how much of the cloud we could breath in lol.

Hope that helps even a little bit, its such a horrible illness sometimes

[Netix]

Thank you Caz. I appreciate the info. Whilst the little boy is getting over his croup, dd has been off school with an awful cough too (but not a croupy cough), the man has been suffering with an awful cold/throat, and I have a very sore throat!

I thought for ds that it had to be quite climate related as. He was always sick at the old places (so were we all, this is the first time we have been sick here, since october, and that's a record for our family.). We had a bit of a cold spell here just before he got croup too.