WTF Is Croup???

[Stoneman]

Never heard of this shit 'til it was thrown in my face. Just got back from a 24 hour stay in the hospital with our littlest, Canaan. Poor little guy couldn't hardly breath. I've never been so scared in my life - and I'm a fairly calm, rationale guy. But this freaked me out...

They say it's strong this year. Again, I've never even heard of it. But be warned, it's not even remotely fun. Dig them humidifiers out...

He's doing better now. I came home this AM, Big Shirl & Canaan just got released and should be home within the hour. Gonna be nice to get some sleep. I guess it's pretty contageous amongst the little ones, so now I've got my excuse to NOT hafta put 200 miles on driving around tomorrow!

Phew!

[beet]

I remember kids getting it as a youngster. Not a good thing hope he's doing good.

[beet]

The term croup does not refer to a single illness, but rather a group of conditions involving inflammation of the upper airway that leads to a cough that sounds like a bark, particularly when a child is crying.

Most croup is caused by viruses, but similar symptoms may occasionally be caused by bacteria or an allergic reaction. The viruses most commonly involved are parainfluenza virus (accounting for most cases), adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, and measles.

Most children with viral croup are between the ages of 3 months and 5 years old. Croup is most likely to occur during the winter months and early spring, and symptoms are most severe in children younger than 3 years of age.

Most croup due to viruses is mild and can be treated at home, though rarely viral croup can be severe and even life-threatening. Some children are more prone to developing croup, especially those who were born prematurely or with narrowed upper airways.

The term spasmodic croup refers to a condition similar to viral croup, except that there are no accompanying symptoms of an infection. The cough frequently begins at night with a sudden onset. The child usually has no fever with spasmodic croup. The symptoms are treated the same for either form of croup.

Signs and Symptoms
Croup is characterized by a loud cough that may sound like the barking of a seal and may be accompanied by fast or difficult breathing and sometimes a grunting noise or wheezing while breathing.

At first, a child may have cold symptoms like a stuffy or runny nose for a few days and may also have fever. As the upper airway (the lining of the windpipe and the voice box) becomes progressively inflamed and swollen, the child may become hoarse, with a harsh, barking cough.

If the upper airway becomes swollen to the point where it is partially blocked off, it becomes even more difficult for a child to breathe. This happens with severe croup. With severe croup, there may be a high-pitched or squeaking noise when breathing in (this is called stridor). A child will tend to breathe very fast, and the stomach or the skin between the child's ribs may seem to pull in during breathing. The child may also appear pale or bluish around the mouth because he is not getting enough oxygen.

Symptoms of croup often worsen at night and when the child is upset or crying. In addition to the effects on the upper airway, the infections that cause croup can result in inflammation further down the airway, including the bronchi (breathing tubes) and the lungs.

Contagiousness
Croup tends to occur in outbreaks in the winter and early spring when the viruses that usually cause it peak. Many children who come in contact with the viruses that cause croup will not get croup, but will instead have symptoms of a head cold.

Diagnosis
Doctors can usually diagnose croup by looking for the telltale barking cough and stridor, the squeaking sound on inhaling. They will also check the child for fever, cold symptoms (like a runny nose), or a recent viral illness, and ask questions to find out if the child has a prior history of croup or upper airway problems.

If the child's croup is severe and slow to respond to treatment, a neck X-ray may also be taken to rule out any other reasons for the breathing difficulty, such as a foreign object lodged in the throat or epiglottitis (an inflammation of the epiglottis, the flap of tissue that covers the windpipe). Typical findings on an X-ray if a child has croup includes the top of the airway narrowing to a point, which doctors call a steeple sign.

Treatment
Most, though not all, cases of viral croup are mild. Breathing in moist air seems to relieve many of the symptoms. Doctors will also sometimes treat with steroids, which helps with the airway swelling.

One way to humidify the air is with a cool-mist humidifier. Having your child breathe in the moist air through the mouth will sometimes break a croup attack. Or try running a hot shower to create a steam-filled bathroom where you can sit with your child for 10 minutes. Try cuddling and reading a bedtime story while doing this to help calm your child.

Sometimes, during cooler months, taking your child outside for a few minutes can help break the attack because the cool air can shrink the swollen tissues lining the airway. Parents can also try driving the child in the car with the windows down to bring in cool air.

If your child has croup, consider sleeping overnight in the same room to provide close observation. If you are not able to break your child's fast breathing and croupy cough, call your child's doctor or seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Medical professionals will need to evaluate your child if the croup appears serious or if there's any suspicion of airway blockage or bacterial infection. Medications such as epinephrine or corticosteroids may be given to reduce swelling in the upper airways. Oxygen may also be given, and sometimes a child with croup will remain in the hospital overnight for observation. As with most illnesses, rest and plenty of fluids are recommended.

Duration
The symptoms of croup generally peak 2 to 3 days after the symptoms of infection start. Croup resulting from viral infection usually lasts less than a week.

Complications
The vast majority of children recover from croup with no complications. Rarely, some children will develop complications such as ear infection or pneumonia.

Children who were born prematurely or who have a history of lung disease (such as asthma) are more likely to develop severe symptoms of croup and may require hospitalization. Croup rarely causes any long-term complications.

Prevention
Frequent hand washing and avoiding contact with people who have respiratory infections are the best ways to reduce the chance of spreading the viruses that cause croup.

When to Call Your Child's Doctor
Immediately call your child's doctor or seek medical attention if your child has any of the following symptoms:

difficulty breathing, including rapid breathing, belly sinking in while breathing, or
the skin between the ribs pulling in with each breath
stridor
pale or bluish color around the mouth
drooling or difficulty swallowing
greater inactivity than usual when ill
high fever
very sick appearance
Reviewed by: Barbara P. Homeier, MD
Date reviewed: May 2005
Originally reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD

[richw]

Thats tough but
..
My youngest has ashma and reflux

Spent the 1st 2 years in our bed with me in the dark
listening for his next breath. Still have disturbed sleep.

Glad the little guy is on the mend

[Stoneman]

Thanks, beet. Little slow on the draw though. I've just lived the worse case scenario!

[Doc]

Stoneman, Although croup is not as common as it once was it is easily treated and your lil one should be good to go if you heed your docs advice.

Croup

Croup: Treatment - MayoClinic.com

A Humidifier/ bring him in the shower or bathroom when someone is having a hot shower. Sometimes even cool moist air can help.

Did the MD give him some steroids.

[MissTwisties]

Ah poor little man. I hope he gets better very soon...

[beet]

A Humidifier A Humidifier A Humidifier

[Currently]

A Humidifier A Humidifier A Humidifier

magic temperature for humidifier ... 32F

no moisture in the air ... 0% humidity.

Even worse if you heat with wood or coal.

Keep that humidifier clean, cause that thing will get a whole family real sick if it gets the wrong kind of dirty in it.

You are better off with the ultrasonic ones cause they are easier to clean.

Side benefit ... everyone's nasal passages will be kept moist and they will be more resistant to cold and flu. Dry and cracked nasal passages make it easier for disease transmission.

Good luck with the little one ... sounds like things are under control.

[richw]

+1 :IWS:

[Degsy]

Wow, coincidentally, we spent all night in Brockton hospital with P.J (4 months) on saturday night, with.......Dah dah!!! Upper respiratory and ear infection. Coughing, unable to catch breath, projectile vomit etc. He probably caught it at daycare, that's the usual place to catch it.

He's on motrin and amoxycillin now and recovering nicely.

first things we did on saturday evening were the stand in the bathroom with a hot shower going, that worked well for a while. He sleeps in our room still and we have the hunidifier going every night.

derek

[lady flyin' low]

hope little Caanan gets better ASAP!

[DucDave]

Glad to hear all are on the mend. My kids are grown but I remember taking my son into the shower in the middle of the night. The sound of his trying to take in a breath is something I will never forget. Like some hellbent train engines whistle. Awful.

First rule of child rearing...
...keep 'em alive.

[Stoneman]

Ahhh yes, humidifiers. NEVER woulda thought of those! From October 'til May we have 'em everywhere. Kids' rooms, our room, living room, play room, steamers on the woodstove and hydrometers in each room too, to monitor humidity. Those (obviously) won't stop it...

Coincidentally, everyone from the nurses to the attending physicians to the resporitory specialists to the pediatricians on call all said that warm STEAM has now been shown NOT to help with Croup symptoms. COOL vapor, COOL air (which by the way, is DRY) have all definite advantages to aid in the breathing difficulties common with this. Of course, in another 5 years, some whack-job breakthrough will prove THAT wrong too!

Thanks for the well wishes, we sincerely appreciate it. But we've got about all the advice we need at this point. It's all appreciated, it truely is. But after 30 hours of constant supervision & instruction, we've got it pretty much under control now...

Hope PJ's feeling better now too, Degs!

[Rice-rocket1]

Hope both Canaan and P.J. are doing better.

[Doc]

Stoneman, Although croup is not as common as it once was it is easily treated and your lil one should be good to go if you heed your docs advice.

A Humidifier/ bring him in the shower or bathroom when someone is having a hot shower. Sometimes even cool moist air can help.

Did the MD give him some steroids.

Who da man!?!

[Daytona440]

I had it as a kid...not fun..

[Stoneman]

Hope both Canaan and P.J. are doing better.

Thanks, Jim! Yeah, Canaan's doing much betterer now. Big Shirl & I caught the virus and were sick as shit for a few days, but it's only a nasty cold in adults...

[highsider]

Hey, guess what Fallon has! Yay!

I just want to give a big thanks to my fucking dipshit sister-in-law for dumping her daughter (who was sick with croup) off at my mother in law's while Fallon was there. :sanchez:

[OreoGaborio]

well that fuckin sucks

Hope Fallon gets well soon.

[Stoneman]

Hey, guess what Fallon has! Yay!

I just want to give a big thanks to my fucking dipshit sister-in-law for dumping her daughter (who was sick with croup) off at my mother in law's while Fallon was there. :sanchez:

I KNOW how you feel about your sister-in-law. But she is H-O-T, HOT!

But yeah, it sucks. Hopefully you cut it off before it got as critical as it did with Canaan...

[beet]

hot chicks

I KNOW how you feel about your sister-in-law. But she is H-O-T, HOT!

But yeah, it sucks. Hopefully you cut it off before it got as critical as it did with Canaan...

[mikeb]

well its four in the morning now and my little baby girl has this shit. worse cough i've ever heard. wifes on the phone with the doc now. i remembered seeing this thread and figured i'd better read up. nesr not just for bikes!

[Stoneman]

I told you clowns a month ago! Doc told us they've seen a highly unusual amount of cases this year. Seems everyone I talk to lately has been through this recently...

How's Fallon doing Chris? How's the sister-in-law?

[highsider]

I told you clowns a month ago! Doc told us they've seen a highly unusual amount of cases this year. Seems everyone I talk to lately has been through this recently...

How's Fallon doing Chris? How's the sister-in-law?

Fallon is finally getting better, though whenever she coughs she clings to me and cries because it hurts. I swear there is nothing more heart wrenching than your toddler looking up at you as though she is expecting help, and there is nothing you can do. I was crying right along with her the other night.

My sister in law? Here's a recent photo:



Thankfully they're moving to Florida, they leave the day after Christmas.