How Do I Help My Children with the croup?

[jamnjim]

Both my children,have what seems to be the croup..my 3yr old boy started with it coughing until he turns blue and then vomiting nearly every time mainly mucus,now my 4yr old daughter with chronic asthma has it just as bad. I have taken them to the dr,in which he prescribed albuterol and rondec as well as steamy showers,but nothing seems to be working for them. It's breaking my heart to see them suffering so much. he has had it for almost 2 weeks and her a week. They wake up in from a sleep with that barking cough and usually throw up..it is worse at night and afew hours after they wake,then it's occassional during the day but to avail they still vomit. How can I help them,is there something possibly worse going on?

[ChitChatNine]

My now 16yr old had her first round of croup at 8 weeks old and turned blue in her crib and her first diagnosed asthma at age 18mos ... so you have come to the right place for "Mom" experience with croup.  She had croup no less than 6-8X a year and now looking back at her history (she is documented asthmatic) she was probably having RAD or asthma going on which was misdiagnosed as croup or was croup along with the asthma.  She was on nebulizerr, etc. for so so many years along with prednisone.

What we'd do is the steam in the bathroom for 20 mins then open the freezer door for another few mins (like the cold night air but you don't have to go outside or be concerned if cold enough).  That is supposed to help with the inflammation.

I think what happens is that the larnx swells and the mucous gets trapped since they are small children .. with not much gap ... so hence the vomit and loss of air.  It is scary for sure and sometimes can lead to an ER visit.

Have you tried a cool mist vaporizer or ultrasonic humidifier in their room at night?  Sharp contrast in weather can do it, too and famous for themiddle of the night .

We were told (back then) that the 2nd and 3rd day is worse than the first and then out of the woods usually by then.

Hope this helps and WELCOME to our Community.

C~

[veroluvsluis]

When my child was 4 years old he got the first case of croup and would get it 3-4 times a year untill he was 7 years old. What seem to help my child was to bundle him up and sit outside in the cool air for about 10 min. I also would leave his window open at night where the fresh air would hit him. That would let him sleep better at night. In the summer time I Would turn on the shower and let it get really steamy and but an air fan in their to circulate the steam. But there is not alot you can do for this just try everything posible, and hope it helps out. I know how you feel hope this will help you.