Croup Croup Croup. Review on Knowing About your Child's Health

I choose to write about this now because my five younger children have been passing this around for the past several weeks now.  It seems like one gets over it and another one starts.

Croup which can also be know as lanryngotracheobronchitis is an infection of the voice box. It is a common illness in baby's and children three months to three years of age. Although more recently has become more common in older children as well. Outbreaks of croup will usually occur during the late fall, the winter months, and early spring. This will usually be during some type of a weather change. Although antibiotics will not work, there are, however, other medications that can be used to help your child feel better.(An example would be some type of steroid) My children seem to get it every time that the weather does change.

Croup usually starts with a cold, cough, or a sore throat. That is not always the case though, because my children have on several occasions gone to sleep totally healthy and woke in the middle of the night with a horrible barking cough and a terrible case of the croup.

How do I know if my child has croup? Your child will usually have:

A barky cough

Noisy breathing

Hoarse voice

Trouble swallowing

Restlessness

Remember that most croup attacks will happen at night. The attacks are usually worst during the first two or three days.

What can I do if my child has croup?

1.) You can help your child to breath easier by sitting with him/her in a steamy bathroom. Turn on the hot water in the tub and close the windows and the bathroom door. When the room is steamed up, bring your child in and sit with them for at least fifteen minutes. DO NOT LEAVE THE CHILD ALONE!

2.) Call your doctor if you child's breathing does not get any better during that fifteen minutes.

3.) If it is cool outside, take your child outside in the cool air for about five minutes. This may help to make breathing easier for them. I cannot tell you the countless nights my poor husband has sat outside with bundled children just so that they could breath.

4.) If you have a humidifier, put it out of reach of the child, yet as close to their bed as possible. Fill it with cool water and direct it toward your child's face. This will help to loosen the mucus in your child's throat which will in turn help them to breath better.

5.) Keep you child warm and give them plenty of clear liquids once their breathing has improved. They should be served at room temperature.

6.) Most cases of croup can be treated at home and your child should feel better in five to six days.

You will need to contact you doctor immediately if:

1.) You see that you child is exhibiting signs of dehydration:

more tired than usual

urinating less

has a dry mouth

has cracked lips

cries without tears

becomes dizzy

2.) Your child has a high fever.

3.)Your child's breathing does not improve after fifteen minutes in the steamy bathroom.

4.) Your child's coughing will not stop.

5.) Your child's cough lasts for more that a few days.

A child's battle with croup can be very scary for them. It is important for you to remember to remain calm during this time. A scared child is a crying child. The more the child cries, the more difficult it will be for them to breath.

I hope this information proves helpful as we come into the croup season.