"The Croup"

Well, my poor little princess has had it since Monday. I'm sure someone out there has experienced this with their little one. Any advice? We've done the steam in the shower, going outside in the cool air, humidifier, prescription meds.. It just seems like the congestion is not easing up. I just started using Triaminic this evening. I did buy some of the Johnson's vapor cream to put on her chest. Has anyone used this before?
Dee Dee

Oh, poor thing (and poor you!). I have tried the vapor cream, although it was pretty mild and ineffective. We had good luck with pure Guaifenesin, NO other additives like pseudoephedrine or Tylenol. The Guaifed really loosens up the chest congestion. You'd think the cold, moist air outside would help. I guess make sure her head is elevated when she's in bed sleeping. Keep your doctor updated, perhaps call the on call nurse. They can offer other suggestions, I'm sure.

I hope she feels better soon! :grouphug

We have definitely been through this! Really the otc meds are not much help, unless it is to help her sleep. Our dr. prescribed codeine for one of our bouts after I made a big deal about how we were up all night (you really need to overstate for dr.'s. They tend to not do anything if they think it isn't a bother). That helped to at least get us through the night, which is the worst time anyway for croup.
Good luck...luckily, it doesn't last long.

Poor little Maddie! :( I hope she feels better soon.

Oh no! Poor little Maddie! Sending hugs your way!

We are here if you need us for anything!

Mara

Poor baby. When I think of the croup, I always think of Anne of Green Gables and how Anne was a hero. I hope Maddie feels better soon.

That's funny, Rachel...that's exactly what I think of too!

Jacob had that recently I took him to the dr. I did everything you have but the Dr told me humidfiers are a waste of money. They dont do anything. He told me to stop using one. He said they dont really do anything but steam up your room and not even get close to the baby to breathe.

The purpose of the humidifier/vaporizer is to add moisture to the air that the heat (during the winter) takes away. This is a much bigger deal in colder parts of the country where it is very difficult to keep moisture in the air.

Poor girl! I hope she is feeling better soon. Motrin Cold has always worked for my kids when they had colds/congestion.

DeeDee,

Hope she feels better. See if you can ask your ped about giving her a prescription for Carbofed. This medicine is great for congestion and will let her sleep so much better at night time. Depending on how old she is, sorry I forget, he might do it.

Hope that helps,

Nina

I know for Myah the best things that work for her when she gets that congested is using her nebulizer with a bronchodilator medication.

We tried everything else - hot showers, cough medicine, vapors, etc... but nothing worked except using the nebuilzer.

I wasn't thrilled when we got the nebuilzer since I felt she was so young to have to use one but I am thankful everytime she gets sick that we have the machine and medication to treat her.

Her doctor also gave her allergy medicine to take to use as a preventive in case allergies (which are probably somewhat responsible for her congestion) are the problem. We use them only seasonal. I really don't want her on any medication she doesn't have to be on, but of course I want her healthy too.

Best of luck, Rebekah

Thanks everyone for your advice and help. I took Maddie back to the doctor yesterday b/c she wasn't getting any better. It turns out, now she has a sinus infection. The pedi prescribed and anibiotic, so we will see if this helps. I'm wondering if she had a sinus infection the whole time and not the croup?! Her congestion is still really really bad when she coughs. So, we'll see....
Dee Dee
Maddie 6-26-03

Sinus infections are no fun as an adult ~ I can only imagine that it's not any fun for your little one either. I hope she gets to feeling better soon.