Friday, February 17, 2012

What the Hell Is Croup?

It's an illness you only learn about if you have a child.  Also, the illness Cubby currently has.

Croup is a contagious respiratory thing that makes your kid sound like a particularly obnoxious barking seal, but it's not serious.  One of the treatments is a humidifier.  Or, if you don't have a humidifier, running your shower as hot as you can and sitting in the steamy bathroom.  As we have neither a humidifier nor enough hot water to allow us to run the shower unnecessarily, A. and Cubby just played with some blocks on the floor of the bathroom while I actually took my shower this morning. I don't know if it was very effective, but it can't hurt anything.

Anyway, based on Cubby's behavior--that is, as full-tilt and insane as ever--it's quite clear he's not suffering any distress.  And so we will just wait out the next few days and the seal impression until Cubby is once again his impeccably healthy self.

Have a wonderful weekend, duckies!

7 comments:

Blue Gal said...

Croup sucks! I hate all coughing child illnesses. We used to use a vaporizer instead of a humidifier. Cheap and you can get one at any drugstore, big box store, online, etc. Maybe $10-15 tops, if you find you need something more. Hope Cubby gets well soon.

Cindy S said...

I have A LOT of experience with croup as my now 7 YO got it EVERY TIME he got any sort of illness. It was ridiculous.

Anyway, extreme cold helps as much as the steam bath (more in our case usually) so if it becomes necessary (nights are the worst) then don't hesitate to open up the front door, wrap Cubby in a blanket and have him take deep breaths of the cold air.

Hang in there. It scares them (and us) more than it hurts them.

Jenn said...

One of my earliest memories is from when I had croup. It's of my mum holding me in her arms, next to the hob, so I could benefit from the steam from a big pan of boiling water, and I had difficulty breathing (I had asthma too, which complicated things, and was generally a sickly child). Strangely, although I was sick and couldn't breathe easily this isn't an unhappy memory. I just remember being facinated by the bubbles in the boiling water.

I hope Cubby stops sounding like a seal soon. It sounds like he doesn't have it too badly so here's hoping for a quick recovery.

Jenn

Phoo-D said...

Croup is no fun. Poor Cubby! I second the vaporizer suggestion. We have the vicks vaporizer and I think it was about $16 at Walmart. I use it whenever Anna has a cold and it really helps her sleep better. The only downside is that it kicks out so much moisture I have to wipe it off the inside of her windows in the morning.

rls said...

Yikes. I remember when my daughter had that. It sounds so terrible when they cough! Hope Cubby's better soon, although as you point out, it really doesn't slow 'em down all that much.

tu mere said...

Funny, I don't remember any of y'all having the croup. May be it's my faulty memory, or the fact that, with three of y'all, all the illnesses just tend to blend into non-specific happenings.

Glad to hear Cubby is powering through. I'm sure that makes both you and A. feel a lot better about his recovery. Take care, as I'm sure it's an understatement to say that your sleep is a bit disturbed just now.

Daisy said...

Oh, croup. It's awful. I agree with your commenters; the cheap drugstore humidifier/vaporizer is fine and dandy. In the roughest moments, into the bathroom with the shower on, followed by a trip into the outdoors cool air. Low tech, but effective.