Sunday, February 7, 2010

Croup

I think Elsie has croup. She has a barking cough and a bit of a runny nose. Argh!! Anyone have any ideas of what to do for her? Do I bother taking her to the doctor? I'm so sick of paying co-pays and then having the doctor tell me we just have to wait it out.

7 comments:

Piper said...

WE LIVE in croup town. Cannon always has it, and I ALWAYS had it when I was little.
Do you have a vaporizer? STEAM is the best. OR you can boil a big pot on the stove. OR you can just turn the shower on hot and sit in the bathroom.
Lots of liquids.
MUCINEX mini melts for kids is a MIRACLE!
Call if you need me.

Kacey Nielsen said...

Sick kids are so sad. I don't think they give antibiotics for croup so I would save yourself the doctor visit for now. I can't remember the name but that stuff that you spray in your throat when it hurts? They have a meltaway strip for kids and it really seems to help my kids. That and childrens ibuprofin gets us through most miseries. Good luck!

Colleen said...

I think the above comments are good as far as what we've done for croup. I think you should only take her in if it seems that she can't breathe. They will give her an oral steroid to help relax her throat if she is having a hard time breathing. But if she's just coughing a lot but breathing OK, a hot steamy room helps (put cold water in the tub first then turn on the shower blasting hot, gets the steam up fast). Also, since it's nice and cold there, you can wrap her in a blanket and just take her outside. The cold air helps really quickly. The one time I was going to take Ben in for a croupy cough, we got half way to the ER (in the middle of the night) and the cold air had stopped his coughing completely.
Good luck! I hope Elsie feels better soon.

Anonymous said...

I agree with all the other comments..don't take her in and save yourself a doctors visit!! I actually just took Boo in yesterday, but she ended up having an ear infection too, so she needed to get on amoxicillan. Unless she gets where she can't breathe easily...all the other suggestions are the best for croup. Kylee seems like she is always getting croup. And the steam shower is our best friend when she getes it. And the bundling up in a blanket and heading out into the cold air. Good luck my friend!! We hope Elsie gets feeling better FAST!

Myca said...

Bundle her up and take her outside to sit in the cold brisk air. It really does help clear up a croupy cough and open up the airways.

Mama T. said...

All of the advice is super. Also, see if you can prop her up a bit to try to help her sleep. I remember spending many nights in the bathroom as a child and with my own children, running hot water in the tub and making a 'camp out' bed on the bathroom floor. That's where I learned to read Snow White and Cinderella as a kid. Good luck.

lysh said...

I got nothing. I know that shocks you. I just hope she's feeling better. How's your foot? I hope that's better too.