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| All bundled up in the cold air fighting croup |
croup
1 [kroop]
noun, Pathology .
(as cited by http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/croup?s=t )
Following back to back ear and chest infections and two rounds of antibiotics, which caused a few weeks of upset tummies and diaper rash, we thought we finally had a healthy baby and were ready to stop buying disposable diapers and break out our cloth again. New Year’s Eve was quiet and boring with hubby and I barely making it to midnight awake after an evening of PJs and movies and a full turkey dinner with all the fixin’s, cooked by hubby... yah, he’s a keeper. New Year’s day started out with a bang when R woke up at 2:00am and then at his usual 4:15am for the day. We spent most of New Year’s Day trading off on naps, like we spend most of our weekends.
That night, R was up at 12:00am, 2:00am and 4:25am and when he was crying, his inhale had a squeak and he had a cough, one with that telltale noise you’re told about as a new mother and come to fear: a bark, like a barking seal. It was brutal. R has had chest infections and wet coughs and I have had numerous respiratory infections myself, as well bronchitis, but this cough was scary. I sat there with him, trying to administer his inhaler, trying to give him honey and warm goat milk, trying to cuddle and coddle and calm, and seriously considering driving him to the hospital. Each time, I managed to calm him and eventually get him back in the crib.
The next morning, I took him down to the clinic, where it was confirmed as croup and then I really learned what croup is. Croup is a virus that causes the throat and larynx to swell. Croup usually appears with other cold-like symptoms, but has a distinct barking cough, especially if the child is crying. Croup outbreaks occur most often during winter, are worse at night, and only affect children under the age of 5 because their throats are still so small and prone to swelling (Canadian Lung Association, http://www.lung.ca/diseases-maladies/a-z/croup-croup/index_e.php ). The thing the doctor told me that I didn’t know, was that there is no medicine at my house that could help R if it happened again. Homeopathic cough medicine, his prescribed inhaler, warm milk, honey, his hot air vaporizer... nothing. What’s more is, if the child continues to cough, and the situation worsens, their airway can swell to the point of not being able to breathe. This terrified me. Luckily, prescription steroids that can be swallowed or injected can temporarily reduce the swelling until the infection improves. But that requires an emergency trip to the doctor or emergency room.
One of my biggest fears as a new parent has been discovering potential allergies and the possibility of anaphylaxis. I used to be a ski patroller with level 3 first aid and I remember learning that their was virtually nothing you could do for anaphylaxis, aside from trying your best to keep the airway open, if an epi-pen wasn’t available. To think that if I had allowed R to cry and cough more, his airway could have become that swollen really hit home. The doctor told me then that if it happened again the next night, to bundle R up and take him outside. Cold air is one thing that can help to relax and open up the airway and prevent further swelling. Then, if that didn’t work, to pack up the car and go to the hospital for treatment.
The following night, R woke up again at midnight and then at 1:30am and we were able to control his coughing by bundling him up and taking him outside for fresh air. Thankfully, it looked like we were not going to need to take him to the hospital. Getting him back to sleep on the other hand, that was a challenge. He finally ended up in our bed and drifted off to sleep at 3:45am, over 2 hours after waking. Hubby ended up getting pushed to the bottom of the bed, and eventually ended up on the floor next to the dog and her bed, but at least R was on the mend!!
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