Croupy Cough

[Anonymous]

After just starting to heal from allergic colitis (negative hemoccult tests), Cole got croupy cough. He woke up 2 nights ago, with the dryest cough I’ve ever heard. I didn’t what it was, he also had 101.4 rectal temp. I took him to pedi who rxed Prednisolone to calm the inflammation in his vocal cords.

All day was nightmarish as Cole was so sensitive and gagged easily, even on a little oatmeal. He vomited several times. I gave him Tylenol and he almost barfed on that, so I didn’t think it was a good idea to try the oral Pred since that would taste really bad. My husband told me the pharm said to give it after a feed, and that I really should try it to decrease inflammation.

After the only good feed of the day, he drank 2.5oz with crying for 20min then I spoon-fed 0.5oz. I thought I would put 1 drop to see how he would react. 1 drop is all it took and he vomited all 3oz of food, and I mean all 3 oz, it got everywhere including the floor and me and the feeding chair. I cringed at thinking of what we worked so hard to eat and then at the acid that must have gone up. He is on PPI though.

I think he got it from a toddler in the waiting room of the pedi 4 days ago, got his shots that day too. Makes me regret the shots but no turning back now.

SweetBoy2008-05-10 11:26:13

[Anonymous]

I am so sorry! Landen went through 4 bouts of croup in 2007. It was like he just kept picking it up from somewhere. It can be hard on refluxers too b/c it causes the larnyx and voicebox to swell and that is probably why they rx’d steroids to him.

Taking them outside in cool night air helps too, and running a humidifier. My boys always needed the steroids to get rid of theirs too. And beware, they can make some babies/kids hyper and/or irritable.

I hope he’s feeling better soon. Hang in there, this too shall pass.

[Anonymous]

Poor Cole, and poor you!!

I hope that you are able to get the steroids in and keep them in him, as they will help. My son who is now 7 years old and asthmatic, has had his fair share of prednisolone and it is disgusting stuff. But, hopefully it should work soon!

Hang in there, it will get better………………….

Erin

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the kind words. We can’t get him to take the meds without vomiting so I’m not going to try anymore. I thought of putting it into his formula, but not sure if that would work either in terms of medicine viability. We have to put TYlenol in his formula too. He is just gagging too easily.

He seems to be feeding just like he usually does (crying more though) though even with his barky cough, congestion and fever. He is feeding ok when I spoon feed him. He still drank 18oz yesterday and on pace for that today so I’m not going to stress about the Pred. He just can’t do it without yacking.

[Anonymous]

Call the Peds see if you can get a nebulizer for him to help with the cough. With both girls with bouts of RSV and Croup we have never used the oral predinsone only the nebulizer steriods to help bring down the inflammation. Did they test him for RSV? The only reason I ask is because he is so young Alexis’s mom2008-05-10 23:09:30

[Anonymous]

My son got stridor yesterday afternoon. He had horrible wheezing, I could see his tiny ribs as he labored to breathe. All he wanted to do was sleep, he was clingy and didn’t want to play at all. I didn’t know what was happening. I took him into the hot shower for 20 min but it didn’t help. His little feet were turning blue. 9pm I called pedi and he told me that they wouldn’t meet me at the office for injection or breathing treatment because they were closed. So again, we were at the ER for 5 hours into the wee hours of the night.

Poor Cole, they gave him a breathing treatment and an injection of steroids and Tylenol suppository. Why didn’t pedi tell me about suppository? My son was burning up because he vomited all the meds I tried to give him. Also his Oxygen levels were down. They took 2 xrays which I thought was not necessary, but I guess they wanted to be sure his chest was ok. He wailed thru it, and I couldn’t even hold him. Ridiculous what we have to go thru to get treatment. I’m switching pedi, I should have from the start when he didn’t diagnose the reflux till it was so bad that he lost weight.

I’ve kept up the Prevacid, but is this wise when he is so sick? Shouldn’t affect his healing should it?

I was nervous about him getting the steroid because it is an immunosuppressant and he is already sick plus he had 3 immunization shots a few days ago. Poor Cole’s immune system has to be way down. Of course he still feeds poorly.

He is a little better today, but I’m so afraid for him sleeping tonight.

Oh, Happy Mother’s Day to all you wonderful mothers that have helped us.

[Anonymous]

Poor Cole and Poor mommy!! I remember being in the ER with RSV (Landen) in Sept. 07. It is heartbreaking when they have chest retractions and cannot get enough air. It’s so scary! So sorry you had to do that on mother’s day too.

To answer your question about the prevacid, yes, I’d continue it just timing it as best as possible (even though he eats poorly) def keep it up in his system.

I feel so bad for you guys, and I have been there too! You are in my prayers.

[Anonymous]

I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that! The MD should have explained the the importance of the steriod, and what to do if he wasn’t taking it! I would definitely continue the Prevacid to help with the acid especially with all the extra refluxing my little ones did when they were sick with all the mucous draining. Really trust your Mommy Instincts! If you think things are just not right, call the MD even though they treat you like you are bothering them…It doesn’t matter, it is their job!!!

[Anonymous]

Thanks a lot for ur comments. I’m still learning being a 1st time Mom, boy, has it been tough. Poor Cole is getting coughing attacks, where he can’t stop, turns red and vomits or gags. His nose is runny too. Is this the normal course of Croupy Cough? Is it suppose to get better slowly or should he not be coughing like this? Someone told me that he may need antibiotics if he has a secondary infection.

Poor Cole, only ate 10oz the whole day. I brought him down to 20cal/oz, hopefully he will stay hydrated. I will keep with the Prevacid best as I can. He vomited his feeding after the Prevacid this morning so I don’t know if he got the dose. Just doing the best that we can…

SweetBoy2008-05-13 00:50:06

[Anonymous]

The only steroids that Cole got was 1 shot from the ER. Does he need more steroids to get rid of the croupy cough? He still has a dry cry and coughing attacks. I need a new pedi! My hubby says to wait that it will go away on its own. Today is day 5.

[Anonymous]

If his airway is inflamed from the croup, the steroids will really help with that. I would try to ask for the nebulizer treatments instead of the oral steroids, then. Did you call the doctor to let them know his status (worse, not different) and let them know that he is not getting any of the meds because of vomiting them? I think the doctor needs to know this…. If you go to the ER, they will probably do a neb treatment right there. The doctor should be able to do this, too. I think you need to call the doctor, or bring him to the ER so that you can get him on the road to getting better……. 5 days is a long time I think….

Hang in there!!

[Anonymous]

Ditto above. He most likely needs to continue with a nebulizer and make sure there is a final read of the x-ray from the radiologist. The MD typical can read the x-ray immediately but the final report comes from the radiologist, to see if there is a secondary infection to the lungs which may like you say require antibotics. Call the MD if he is still having a bad cough and still having problems keeping fluids down and most of all if he is still running a temperature.

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