Baby has croup - any solutions for getting better quicker?

Question

I have tried steam method twice in bathroom by leaving hot taps running and closing door but it didnt work... if anything just made my hair curly... but as soon as we emerged from room - off went the barking again,..... anything else I can do?

Been to docs already and they just said that it will pass and to try the shower method.... tried but still very bad

Answer 1

croup is the description of the cough, not what the cough is called (as told by NHS direct when one of my kids had it) Keep the room moist by putting wet towels on the radiators and sit them in the bathroom with the shower on to get the room steamy as this will help too.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/croup.html

Answer 2

When my wee boy had croup then the doc told us to steam him in the bathroom. By the time she came it had eased but she did give us tablets for him to take over the course of the next few days. Another thing she said that did help was taking him out in the cold. Cruel though it seemed, the cold air helped open up the airwaves and so increased the breathing capacity. Obviously wrap up well!
I also just used a bowl of steamy water on the kitchen table and sat with my head under the towel too making sure baby's hands were held tight. It was much faster and cost effective than steaming up the bathroom.
If the doc says to sit it out then that's about all you can do. It is a shame the doc is not more helpful but it will pass in about a week. Keep up the liquid intake - jelly and ice cream are fine and cool and will help contract the throat as well. Maybe less severe and more enjoyable than taking them outside!

Answer 3

Croup is a really unpleasant illness - for you and baby. There is little you can do to speed things up apart from steam inhaltion and paracetamol unless your baby doesn't seem to be getting better after a few days, when your doctor may chose to prescribe steriods. Normally the symptoms are at their worst approximately two days after the onset, so it may be that you're past the worst, if thats any comfort at all. Placing a steamer in baby's bedroom may help him sleep better (wet flannels over the radiator will help too).

You shouldn't hesitate to call the doctor or an ambulance if your baby really seems to be having difficulty breathing, starts to turn blue (this is likely to start with a blue tinge around the lips) or goes floppy as croup can take a more serious turn (as described above by some of the other answers). Thankfully though, those cases are reasonably rare.

Answer 4

There are a few diffrent things. First make sure it is croup from the doctor. Have them rule out asthma that is exactly how we found out out little girl had asthma they thaught at first it was croup. Using a nebulizer for cruop can help break it up make breathing easier. Keep doing the shower thing as hot as you can for as long as you can the steam helps sooth the childs symptoms. Use a cool mist humidifier at night while child sleeps. Dont have the heat blasting that canmake the cough worse if there is dry air. If it is croup thereis not to much more to do then wait it out. sorry to say i know I have been threw this. But it will get better just keep trying.

Answer 5

my little boy been surring from croup four the last 4 years keep a bowl of water on a radior w hen hot if if your baby sleeping in a cot slightly raise top of the cot with some books so its slightly tilted give plenlty of fuilds and keep using the bathroom method if you have a shower leaving that on will make more steam the croup usally last for 48 hours but if your baby gets worse or appears breathless contact your doctor staight away.

Answer 6

Best check to see if maybe it's not asthma. My 3 y/o was diagnosed with "croup" but in all reality it was asthma. Breathing treatments with a bronchodialator was the only thing that helped him. And be careful, whooping cough is making a big comeback also. I hope he's better soon.

Answer 7

There's nothing you can do--croup is a viral infection of the throat/trachea. It's not painful, and antibiotics won't help it. Other than the steam thing (what my sons' ped. recommended I do with them when they became croupy) you have no other options other than to wait it out. Make sure they stay hydrated.

Answer 8

My daughter suffered with croup every year until she was 7.

Its horrible and scary.

If its not getting any better take her back to the doctor, they is medication they can give....they do it reluctently, but in some cases they will.......my daughter had to have it on 2 occassions...( i think its steroid based )

Good luck!

Answer 9

take baby to the doctors croup can be very bad and block op baby`s airways

Answer 10

One of my boys had croup and had to have nebuliser at local A&E dept