BTDT moms - of both croup and pneumonia - please come in

Are symptoms different with croup and pnuemonia? Reading 2 pneumonia posts on here are getting me nervous - especially because of Nina. The same thing - when I spoke to the doctor he said it sounds like croup, which is a viral infection, but he has been sick since Sunday and still hade fever today. I will do the walk in tomorrow morning, but can croup look the same as pneumonia?

Do 2 year olds get croup? I always thought it hit babies.

Can they have the barking cough with pneumonia?

Cailen only seems to be OK when I give him motrin. I can tell EXACTLY when it wears off because he gets instantly sick looking and feverish.

Also, he has been incredibly hoarse - he can't talk at all - he squeaks his words, and today he didn't want to eat. He humored me by taking a few bites of yogurt, that's it.

Help - I know he will be checked tomorrow, but does it still sound like croup, or maybe something worse?

Re: BTDT moms - of both croup and pneumonia - please come in

OMG, Liza, I could have written this post word for word! I am taking Jeremy to the doctor in the morning because he has had croup-like symptoms for 2 days now with fever. Like Cailen, the Motrin works wonders then as soon as it is wearing down, he is feverish and sluggish. When he has it though, he is running around and acting as if he is totally fine!
for all the sick little ones

Re: BTDT moms - of both croup and pneumonia - please come in

It sounds like croup if it is that seal like, barking cough. Tyler had it a few months ago and he sounded hoarse as well and didnt want to eat. After 2 days when the cough didnt get any better I brought him to the ped. and he gave me a very low dose of prednisone to help with the inflammation which is what causes that barking cough. After giving him the prednisone, the cough was gone in a couple of days.

Re: BTDT moms - of both croup and pneumonia - please come in

Well unfortunately I have experience w/ both croup and pneumonia. I think the biggest symptom of croup is the very distinguishable barking seal cough.

Pneumonia totally knocked out DD, I mean she had to be carried to the bathroom b/c she was so weak. She didn't get out of bed for like 3 days, just layed there and looked dazed, she dozed and wouldn't eat anything. It also started w/ vomiting. I thought it was just a stomach virus but once I looked up the symptoms of pneumonia I saw that vomiting was "typical" pneumonia. The ped also heard a rattle in her chest and it was confirmed w/ a chest x-ray.

Re: BTDT moms - of both croup and pneumonia - please come in

There is something going around. My 2 had it a few weeks ago although not croup. Just a high fever that lasted for a few days and only dipped with Motrin. No interest in eating and just not themselves. I hope that's all it is and passes soon.

Re: BTDT moms - of both croup and pneumonia - please come in

Re: BTDT moms - of both croup and pneumonia - please come in

I only know about croup. Ry is 3 and had 3 cases of it this year. Ugh.

When he gets it, he has a horrible cough that is horse, and sounds like a bark. He always gets a fever with it, he is lethargic, and never wants to eat or drink. Once he is on the steroids, he is fine by the second dose.

Re: BTDT moms - of both croup and pneumonia - please come in

Jordan is a chronic sufferer of both Croup and pneumonia(she has reactive airway disorder). To me, they are totally different, but she has had pneumonia 9 times and croup more times than I can recall
With croup it is very specific sounding, very barky, voice gets hoarse, usually worse at night.BTW she is 8 and still gets croup!
With pneumonia it is constant and is usually more of a typical sick cough(in terms of sound) Her chest and back tend to be very rattley. You can feel it when you put your hand on their back, even when they are not coughing. There is usually a vibration in their breathing.When DD has it, Motrin/Tylenol do nothing for her, usually the only relief comes from her nebulizer and antibiotics.

Re: BTDT moms - of both croup and pneumonia - please come in

Croup effects the larynx while pneumonia is in the lungs...

I can remember taking Ariel to the doctor for croup..she'd be running a very high fever (she also ran extremely high fevers) they'd listen to her lungs, declare them clear, and then treat the croup. (B/C of her issues they didnt just let the croup run it's course as I believe is common place. For her they were a little bit more proactive)

The biggest sign of the croup is that distinctinve cough. Now Im sure though...that it could be possible for a child to have both croup and pneumonia...