not sure if my son has croup or jsut a flu, the doctor can't figure out either. basically he was feverish for about 2 days, and not has a very horse voice, and caughs once in a while. does he need antibiotics, or shoudl i try natural treatments?
2007-12-20 05:51:22 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
If your doctor doesn't know, then I don't know if my info will help. Basically, from what I understand, the best way to know if your child has croup is if he has a cough that sounds like a dog or seal barking. If no barking cough, then he probably has a cold/flu. Goodluck.
2007-12-20 05:57:40 · answer #1 · answered by me&2kids 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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.
2007-12-20 07:19:46 · answer #2 · answered by kennyfan83 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With croup, it sounds as if the child is wheezing and struggling for breath just before he coughs. If he does have croup, then a vaporizer will help, or even having him in a steamy bathroom. If he's just coughing once in a while, then it's more likely to be the flu, and antibiotics wouldn't do any good.
Your doctor should be able to tell which it is by listening to your son's chest.
2007-12-20 06:00:11 · answer #3 · answered by Kukana 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My son got croup at 10months old and it was horrible, he had to be hospitalized.
He started our perfectly fine. He was a little warm before bed but nothing bad. when he woke up he was very hoarse and had a cough. by the end of the day he couldnt and wouldnt talk and had major coughing fits. he was wheezing and could barely breathe. At one point he had such a hard time catching his breathe he started turning colors. we rushed him to the ER. Where he stayed for 3 days. he had to be under a ventilation tent with medicine pumped into it, we had to buy a humidifier for his room, and he had to have antibiotics and steriods
if he isn't very hoarse he probably has the flu. Because Croup causes the throat and voice box and things to swell which is why they get hoarse and cant talk. If the dr. cant tell its probably not croup. But i'd think about getting another dr's opinion just incase, you dont want it to develop into croup rapidly,trust me it's scary.
2007-12-20 06:20:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your child does not have croup. Since he doesn't have a harsh voice or a lot of coughing. My daugher had it twice last winter and would wake up in the night having a hard time breathing. Over a course of a few days the coughing got worse and worse. She didn't have any temperature. She was given oral steroids to clear it up.
2007-12-20 06:18:55 · answer #5 · answered by Christine M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it's croup it will sound like a barking seal. Whatever it is, you can't go wrong with humidifiers. They will help to open up his airways.
2007-12-20 06:49:19 · answer #6 · answered by Teresa H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋