I Need Advice/reassurance Regarding Croup!

L.,
I am so sorry that your son has croup! It is a really scary thing! My son has had it 4 times now...been to the ER once. I'm also a pedi RN. so, i'm glad that they gave you prednisone. The steroids are really the only thing that will help. The albuterol isn't going to help the croup go away but it won't hurt your son either. The best thing to do is keep a cool mist humidifier on in his room, if that doesn't work try running the shower and sitting in the bathroom with the door closed. sometimes the steam will help. most of all try to stay calm. I know it's difficult when your baby is coughing and it hurts him but if you get upset he'll get even more agititated. You should see an improvement within 24 hours after he started the prednisone. As for him developing asthma...asthma and croup involve to different areas of your body. asthma involves the small air tubes in your lungs and croup involves your voice box. My other advice to you is if he continues with the croupy cough after he's finished his few days of prednisone take him to the pedi. My son did this and he actually had a bacterial infection in his voice box. easily fixed with some antibiotics. Hope this helps!

Hi- you did the right thing taking him to the ER. My dd has had it about 4 times. My pedi said that the dosage they give at the ER can't be prescribed, it is stronger, and it is best to treat it right away. He should feel better in a day and a half. If he does not sound so severe- you can just sit in the bathroom in a warm shower steam or go out in cool night air will help.

Croup can be so scary. My son is the croupiest child I've ever seen, having had it almost a dozen times in the last three years. You may know all of this... but croup is caused by viral swelling of the breathing passages. The reason our little ones seem to have it more is that their airways are smaller than ours; adults see it as a headcold more often. Croup can be caused by many viruses including influenza and pneumonia. Anyway, this is good to know (no one told me until his 6th or 7th episode) because sometimes just treating the croupy cough isn't enough.

In my opinion, the best solution for a bad case of croup is a steroid shot (decadron). My son has had this in about 1/3 of his cases due to the severity of croup. We have used prednisone and albuterol on our asthmatic daughter, and we have realized that each child responds differently to these meds. Ours? Terrible side effects. Other children, not so bad.

For a not-so-severe case of croup, we use a cool mist humidifier in our son's room. This helps tremendously! We also put him in a steamy shower or a warm bath and let him play. We give him chicken soup broth and plenty of liquids, of course, to soothe his throat. And we try to prevent crying (which can make things worse) and shouting.

Most of my son's croup cases have lasted no more than 8 days (it peaks around day 3-4, depending on how bad it is), so you should see some improvement soon. Don't worry too much at this point about him becoming asthmatic; kids usually cease their croupiness as their airways grow.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Poor little guy - croup is no fun!

My son got it when he was 3yrs old and it was so so scary. They gave him the same medicine as your son, but they also sent home a nebulizer to give him breathing treatments. He hated that so much, but it helped so much. They told me it could last anywhere from 10-14 days. I didnt think I was going to survive, nonetheless my son. Sitting in the bathroom with the shower running on hot will also help loosen it all up. They also told me to get a cool mist humidifier. Out of everything we were doing, I would have to say that the nebulizer was the best. Good Luck!

I have a lot of experience with Croup... not with my child.... But me!!! I have recently been diagnosed with Adult Croup and now know that my semi-annual upper respiratory issues have mostly been Croup. I have a history of Asthma, Bronchitis, and Pneumonia. In fact, I had Pleural Pneumonia at about 6 months old and have had difficulties all of my life. I have learned to seek the necessary medical care as soon as I know I am sick with something which won't just go away on it's own. I don't know if others have similar lifelong experiences and I don't know if this is helpful but, I spent four years in the Army, active duty, and managed to do fine with appropriate care so I just wanted to say that despite some physical set-backs, I have done very well and have not let it get me down. It is so good you know now though, I think. God Bless