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•What is croup?
A swelling of the airway typically caused by a virus & presents as a dry cough similar to a bark. Croup often presents during the damp, cold seasons.
Croup can be a scary illness to deal with in your child especially if you've never had experience of it before. The noise your child presents with at night-time almost comes from nowhere after having had a seemingly well child throughout the day. Try not to worry, read the info below to be prepared for it.
•How can you help your child?
-Comfort them by holding them close, this can be very distressing for them so make them feel secure.
-Steam: in MY experience having access to steam either in the form of a humidifier machine (I swear on my Vicks warm mist machine) or from a shower, by taking your child into the bathroom and running the shower, this will help loosen the airway and the stridor should ease. You do not have to strip your child down, you are only bringing the child into the steamed bathroom.
-Apply a damp towel to the radiator in your child's room where they sleep so when the heating clicks on...the room does not become too dry.
-Try to raise the child’s chest so the airway is as open as it can be.
-Give the child plenty of fluids, if they refuse water, offer milk. If neither is taken offer a juice-filled fruit such as a few raspberries (I understand this isn’t ideal in the middle of the night but it may alleviate everyones stress around the child needing something moist in the mouth.)
-Administer pain relief IF you feel your child is in need of any but it isn't typically needed.
IF you feel your child needs medical assistance then act on your gut instinct. Croup is a common...typically a seasonal, virus & often does not require medical intervention HOWEVER, you know your child best.
The following day after an episode of croup your child may have bounced back!! Go with how your child is feeling but in my experience, most children have often just been tired from coughing overnight.