Croup like illness Maybe

[luey]

My DS has just had a croup-like illness. The predi-mix seems to have helped a lot (just had day 2 of 3 days of steroids). He definately sounds less hoarse to cry and babble. HE is also a lot happier. He has on is 2nd lot of antibiotics for an ear infection in 3 weeks.

I am interested to know if your child often has a temp or not when they have 'croup'. The literature says they often do but we all know some kids don't always follow the book.

Ds has been unwell for a few weeks with an ear infection and associated cough, nose and fever symptoms. We thought he had 2 illnesses one after the other not completely recovering from the first illness though his ears weren't checked after the first illness. He still had a yucky sounding chest but was otherwise happy and sleeping ok.
Last Tuesday he had conjunctivitis with his occassional cough and green nose, fever and another/same? ear infection. I saw the Dr Thurs and he gave us more anti-bugs.
On the weekend His temp was better so we thought he was improving healthwise but still. very grizzly. WE gave him nurofen and he was a different child. The sunday night he was terrible all night, hoarse voice, bit of an awful cough, distressed because unwell but no resp distress (difficulty breathing). He has had this terrible cough but his chest has been 'clear' when checked on sunday am and monday. His chest on thurs last week was ok but the dr (a different one) did comment on his cough. 'Bit croupy' but didn't say it was croup.

What I want to know when your kids have croup do they have a fever? IS it after an illness of a few days or so and are their chests 'clear'? He had also been having trouble sleeping. Happy to sleep with us, although not sunday night. Would usually sleep if I cuddled him with him sitting up, head between my boobs. would cough and wake if lowered.
Can this be a pre-cursor to asthma? DS is only 17months old. I had asthma as a child but am ok now.

My DS wasn't *that* sick I don't think but he was pretty unwell. I guess I want to know what to watch for next time. Obviously if he had resp distress and continual coughing I would get him help asap. It is just this annoying cough. And him seeming sick. I guess there are so many 'viruses' there are limits to what can be done. We have also been sick. I have heard that people who have been sick where we live are still all 'sinussy' up to 5-6 weeks after the initial illness.

Sorry for the ramble. But I am interested in others experiences as each child may manifest these things differently

[tomtom]

My now 15yr old dd had croup when she was 2. She would run around like a maniac and be as happy as Larry but had this terrible heavy, weezy breathing. I had no idea what was wrong with her but kept my eye on her . It seemed to get worse and I took her to emergancy, got in straight away. They gave her oxygen and adrenalin (i think is what they give asmatics, or used to) and I had to stay in hospital with her for a few days, but we had to keep her "locked" in the cot because she wouldn't stop running around.
Her dipostion was not that of a child that had anything serious, but was told it was quite seriuos when we came to hospital.
Thinking back, with all the running around she was doing I highly doubt she had a temperature or she would have been more docile.
The doctors said croup weakens the lungs and she would be more suseptable to colds and things, which she is, she brings home every cold under the sun, but she has never had croup again.

[jariah4]

Hi,

i was very interested to read that croup weakens the lungs. This seems to be the case with our dd1 who is now 11 yo. She had croup when young and even now ( at one stage had a collapsed lung), she seems to catch colds etc easily and it nearly always ends up with her coughing...she has always had that tendancy.

Has anyone tried homeopathic remedies? They do help; there is a croup trio to be used at specific stages.
Spongia is particularly helpful especially for the coughing on lying down.
It's worth looking into!
I do wonder how she'll be in the future.

Jariah4

[PunkyDiva]

My 18month old was in and out of hospital then ICU with croup a few months back.
He didn't have any cold or flu symptoms, was just crabby which we had put down to teething. There was no cough but suddenly he just couldn't breath, sucking in so hard his whole abdomen became concave.
They say he had a throat infection which caused inflammation of airways and thus croup.
He was treated with adrenalin through a neb and steroids, which had to be forced into him as tastes awful.
I was able to sleep with him 24/7 because I was still breastfeeding which saved him being tubulated.
It was a horrendous experience, which in the middle of my daughter also gave birth, thank god for her private midwives who cared for us all. He has shown no ill effects since and I hope it was a one of that never occurs again.
Big hugs for your wee one but stay vigilant as it goes downhill very quickly, just call the ambo. :hugs: