[angelkisses0102]

I remember reading *somewhere* about what may be wrong when your child coughs and has that seal bark sound...well my little seal...Arianna...has had it since this morning. We are all sick with just plain old colds and she has that but no fever...so I really don't want to take her to the doctors yet.

Any ideas or advice? We are having a lazy day...and I am not taking them out anywhere....but I would love to prevent a doctor's visit, especially on the weekend...when the office will be filled with tons of sick germs.

Thanks!!!

[pwnort64]

Karen, I think the barking seal cough means the croupe.

[angelkisses0102]

Paula,

Thanks what I was thinking...

Karen

[KiraLin]

Karen,

Kira had that a few weeks ago, it can be managed at home but if it causes difficulty breathing then you need to see a doc. It can be tough on kids with asthma. My dd needed to do 3 days on prednisone (sp?) because it was making her weeze (mildly but I didn't want it to get worse as a child in her daycare got it and it escalated to asthma). The doc said to keep her in a very humid environment to help.

Hope its not to bad of a case. Good luck,

-Peg

[lakimnafite]

Our Health Care company puts out a Healthwise Handbook. Here is what is says.

Loud Cough like a seal's bark. See Croup.

Croup is a respiratory problem most common in children ages two to four years. It may accompany a viral infection, such as a cold. The main symptom is a harsh cough that sounds like a seal's bark. A fever of 100-101 degrees is common. The child may become very frightened. Croup usually gets worse at night and may last one to seven days.

Home Treatment

Stay calm. The child is already frightened and needs reassurance.

Get moisture into the air to make it easier for the child to breathe. Take the child into the bathroom, turn on all hot-water faucets, then sit on the floor in the steamy room and read a story together.

Bundle up and take the child outside for a walk in the cool fresh ari. Cool moist air is best.

Set up a vaporizer or croup tent in the child's bedroom. (lloks like cool moist air vaporizer - tho it's not specifying that..)

If the child starts crying, this may be a positive sign that he is breathinig more normally.



Medical care is neded immediately if these signs of respiratory distress appar and persist despite home treatment:
- Squeaky or raspy sound as child inhales
- Sucking in or retraction between ribs as child inhales
- Flaring nostrils


When to call a Health Professional

If child is so short of breath that she can't walk or talk.

If the child drools or is breathing with the chin jutting out an d the mouth open.

In 20 minutes of steam inhalation or cold outdoor air do not relax the child enough to allow sleep

If the child has a fever of 102 or higher

If you cannot get a hysterical child to calm down

If it is the first case of croup in your family and you need reassurance

If croup lasts longer than three nights.

[angelkisses0102]

Thanks guys...lots of info...I knew it would be better than searching the net. I made the statement this morning...about the 'who's that seal barking?' and immediately went utt-ooo...I remember that is a sign of something.

Quick question...she has a nebulizer and I have her meds...does that help...she's not bad...yet...but her lungs are a weak spot for her.

Kim~
What a great resource that handbook is.

Karen

[lakimnafite]

Unfortunately, the book doesn't speak to a combination of croup and asthma. My guess would be that it can't hurt....

My lungs were always a weak spot for me as well. Something that always helped me (and also my son) is lots of fluids - water and juice - but no dairy. I don't recall if you have her dairy-free...

Chest and back massage also helpful to help soothe sore coughing muscles and also increase blood flow that can help relieve conjestion and cough. It also helps our babies feel better

[stephdpenn]

Originally Posted by FH-angelkisses0102

Thanks guys...lots of info...I knew it would be better than searching the net. I made the statement this morning...about the 'who's that seal barking?' and immediately went utt-ooo...I remember that is a sign of something.

Quick question...she has a nebulizer and I have her meds...does that help...she's not bad...yet...but her lungs are a weak spot for her.

Kim~
What a great resource that handbook is.

Karen

Karen I used the nebulizer with my son. At first though I just done the saline because the medication always cause him to become hyper and his heart to beat faster. I didn't think that would be a good thing if he was having trouble breahting to start with. Does her meds make her hyper?

Stephanie

[Weezyreid]

Hi I don't normally post here, but I will. I am a pediatric nurse. The nebulizers (i am assuming she is taking ventolin (also known as salbutamol)) will help especially if she is on them at home already.
Also she may need a different medication known as decadron (which is a steroid) and racemic (which is given in nebulizer) but only in hospital (or atleast on my unit in Canada). One thing to look for is Stridor. Which is a horrible sound they make when they breath. It is high pitched squeak/rattly noise...hard to explain,....but it is so far from the normal sound of breathing you will know it when you hear it. If she is stridorous she needs to be seen by MD...most likely will happen at night which will mean a midnight trip to the ER.

Keeping her bedroom window open a crack at night will also allow the cool moist air in the bedroom...and as someone already mentioned taking them outside in the night air.
The last time my neice had croup, I felt silly because by the time we took her to the ER,,,,she was better because she was out in the cold air.

Hope your little one gets better soon.
Louise

[DebiP]

I can remember long nights in the shower sleeping both Spencer and his daddy just to subside the croup cough. It helped alot.

Fel better little Arianna its no fun being sick.

[Shoshana]

Karen -- even if she isn't wheezing now, coughing is one of the top three precipitants of wheezing/asthma attacks (others are laughing and cold air). Maybe you could put a call into your ped to ask if you should start the neb now. (that's what I would do for myself if I had a bad cold/cough because I know it would help my breathing and possibly prevent it from developing into an attack).

[skiboo]

You have already been given great advice and I have nothing to add except some hugs and sympathy. Alex has had croup 3 times and it is tiring on both baby and momma... I know. I hope Arianna is feeling better soon.

[Wendrew]

Alex had this once too, everyone has given you great advice. Please let us know how she is doing today.

[angelkisses0102]

Thanks so much all..she is still 'barking' away...but she did get some sleep last night...she doesn't seem any worse...so hopefully this will be short lived. She is sleeping right now...

[RBSVARCHER]

It's the croop - get medical attention ASAP - your child's throat is closing up and making it hard to breathe! Sterioids & rest is the answer on this one!

Go to the Dr - FAST

Susan