Late last night I woke up in darkness not sure why I was suddenly awake. Then I heard the sound again, a barking cough. I stumbled out of bed to check on Patches because I confusedly thought he might be the source. He was sleeping like an angel without even snoring. The cough came again, it was Gleek. I should have known because that barking cough is indicative of croup and Gleek seems particularly succeptable to it. The cough wasn’t bad yet, Gleek wasn’t even fully awake, but I knew from unpleasant experience that if I didn’t treat it right away we’d end up listening to gasping breaths and wondering if it was time to go to the emergency room.
By the time I’d hauled her out of her top bunk, Howard was in the room as well. He’d been downstairs in his office. He heard the first cough and thought it was the neighbors dog. (They aren’t kidding when they describe the croup cough as “barking”) The second cough had him realize that the sound was inside our house which meant one of the kids. That was when he heard my footsteps. It’s nice to know that my Mommy Radar is properly tuned to wake me up at the first croupy cough. We carried sleepy, coughy Gleek to our bathroom and gave her a treatment of nebulized albuterol. That nebulizer is one of the many things for which I am grateful this morning. Our insurance bought it for us because Link was mildly asthmatic at an age where he couldn’t use inhalers. It has saved us from hospital trips more times than I care to count. If I had it to do over, I would have spent $200 cash and bought one myself about 3 years earlier than we acquired it.
This particular croup attack was mild. By the third nebulized breath, Gleek was breathing easier. I didn’t have to haul her outside to let her breathe freezing air or run the shower to let her breathe steamy air. Best of all we didn’t have to take her to the hospital for more vigorous treatments. In only 5 minutes we were done with the treatment and she was tucked back into bed where she slept peacefully for the rest of the night. It would be fine with me if none of my kids ever suffered from croup again, but it is also really nice to be experienced enough to know exactly what to do.
For the record, I’m the one who got Gleek out of bed. Sandra was standing on the lower bunk trying to coax Gleek into her arms, and I don’t think either of them was fully awake. I know Gleek wasn’t.
I’m a little taller, so I reached in and scooped Gleek from her bed, and hauled her off to our room while Sandra prepped the nebulizer.
–Howard
Yeah, your version is probably more accurate. I was working on Mommy reflexes, not conscious thought.
In either case, impressive. This is definitely what one of my friends calls, “being parental” and he should know. It astounds me to hear some of the semi-medical procedures he has had to do with his own kids (anyone for reinserting a gastro tube in a three year old?).
This is one thing I am truly grateful for. My boys are all very healthy. It looks like Luke got my allergies, but we have only had to take them to the emergency room for things like cuts and such, no asthma, croup, etc.
Good on you for being there.
“Gastro tube” and “three year old” do not belong in the same sentence. Ouch.
I’ve always thought of my kids as healthy, but not one of them made it through their first year of life without a trip to the emergency room. I’m not sure that means my babies are more prone to medical emergencies or if it means that I’m more prone to panic and take them to the hospital.
Fortunately my kids tend not to get medically creative. They’re pretty content to stick to ear infections, croup, and occasional contusions. I’ve gotten really good at assessing the severity of these and applying home remedies.
I’m impressed… I wouldn’t have the first idea what to do for croup.
Ear infections, now, I know from ear infections. I have them… both the kids have them… I no longer have to take us to the doctor for ear infections mostly.
I also know strep. Emily is suceptible to strep in all kinds of ways and it has an odd smell. The last time she had a strep throat, we were actually in the doctor’s office before she started to “smell strep-y”.
Yup, ear infections and ear tubes are very familiar to me as well.
Strep isn’t though. I didn’t realize it had a smell. Kiki had it a few weeks ago and I didn’t notice one. I did notice that the small scrape she had on her knee got infected and yucky. I’m guessing that it was infected by the strep because it cleared up after several days on antibiotics. It scarred though which is always frustrating from a minor scrape.
I had croup when I was kid. I can’t recall how many times I spent in a steamy bathroom sitting on my mom’s lap, trying to breathe. Scary situation for a kid. Usually took 15 to 20 minutes in that steam bath before I was breathing more normally.
I believe it. It is scary for parents too. Especially since frightened children tend to cry and crying makes croup worse.