Wednesday, December 28, 2011

WW : Kisah Ryan dalam kereta..


Bila masuk kereta, inilah keje budak kecik ni..

3 min pertama..

Anak sapelah ni..baik nye..


5 min berselang...

Dah mula adjust otot kaki..


2 min seterusnye...

Aiyarkkk!!!


Lepas tu..

Dah kena pangku, kalau tak berlagu irama dongdang sayang la jawabnye..


Nak suruh diam, main amik gmbr self shot..
  


Kalau balik Banting, jenuhlah 1 jam kena pegang baby Michelin ni..
Abg Adam selamat dzzz kat depan..;)


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

On cloth diapering my lil' Ryan..


I really take a long gap to update story on my cloth diapering journey. Pheww!!Hopefully this time, I'm able to publish the entry. My 1st entry was during confinement period, here. Maybe it was not a good and happy story to tell, telling on how I managed the poo poo, huhuhu it was not a pleasant story to be shared actually. Before that, please dont get offended with my entry. I'm just sharing experiences that I went through and just my 2 cents!!

Dont get me wrong! I'm not regretted on decision to cloth diapering my lil child. In fact, to be honest, I 've saved a lot on diapers for our monthly expenses. If  last time, Adam needed to mix the blue and purple Huggies, Ryan on the other hand can enjoy the comfortness of Huggies Ultra as I just need 1 packet for 1 month usage. Owh yeap, I'm not fully cloth diapering my baby yet. 1 thing because of the stock of cds that I have now and plus, I preferred to put him on plastic diaper at night, kalau tak mahu tido mommy tak lena! I just used 1 diaper at night and during travelling or outing. So I can be considered as half cd'ing kut ;) But its all up to us, even if u just use cd once a day, at least u have save 1 diaper and help to save the environment too. *Ehem ehem macam duta green peace plak ;)*

The day I decided to cloth diapering my no2, it was actually after a long discussion with Mr Hubby. It really because we try to cut down on the expenses. *gaji naik tak seberapa mane kan ;(* Meaning that, I really have to decided on the right cd to invest, tak nak nanti beli tak elok, banyak plak nak kena beli. Besides, I have to consider the daycare too, bukan semua caregiver nak layan cd cd ni. Lucky that I have the nursery which accepted cd.*sebab rasenye Ryan je pun yang ber"cd" bagai* So, my journey to find the good cd began as early as my early pregnancy. And finally decided on GroVia, All-in-2  for nursery and for travelling which more comfy is All-in-1. Reason I decided on Grovia, tho the price a lil bit expensive to compare with other brand and type, its because of the shell (outer) which can be used 2-3 times with different soaker (inner). Meaning that, for nursery, I just need 3 shells and 5 soaker for 10 hours usage. And so far after about 6 months on this, I really loved the trimness of the diapers.


1st time bought during pregnant..


2nd time bought during confinement..


3rd time bought during started working after maternity leave..


Itti Bitti bought from Aussie..


Current cd stocks that I have just enough for 2-3 days used.
*So nak tak nak, hari2 mahu kena basuh and jemur, bila time hujan
 macam sekarang, garu kepala lah kami!!*


1st picture on left: Grovia AI2 (All-in-Two)


*ni pun macam AI2 jgak*


Ryan in lime green IB..
*size L ok..beli size M nehi muat!!*


There come the toughest part! Handling the soiled diapers specially when there are poo poo inside. Yurk!!!And I was given privilege to handle that part. Yes, me only, no one else. Hate it. Buat si Ryan active duk poo poo smp 2 kali, maka jenuh lah duk menyembur balik keje tu. Naik pening jugak tau mengadap poo poo baby ni, specially Ryan has started on solids now. huhuhu. But the rest, lucky I have a good helper, Mr Hubby who will help to put the diapers on washing machine and hang it when they are done. *While mommy duk bz sental botol kat dapur ;)* Thats what I always said, if u dont hv maid to help u on this, u better need to have green light from ur hubby, as to handle this alone, with other things to do, it wont an easy job.

Soiled diapers in wet bag from nursery..


Soiled diaper pouch at diaper bag..


InsyaAllah, even I had to face many challenges on cloth diapering my lil boy, I will continue this journey till end. *sampai Ryan diaper free la maksud I ;)* Never  turn back, InsyaAllah. But yet, I have to set my mind and be focus, trying as much not to leisure my money on fancy cd. hahahaha!! Yes, I tell u, once u are in cd world, u might be easily attracted and distracted with many pattern and designs, and sgt mahal woo!! If you see, semua stock cd I mmg plain. B'cos I normally grabbed the cd during sales and not so many designs offered. I'm ok with that. In fact, I will only top up my cds everytime sales come. *Memang sgt alert bila tiny tapir or fabulous mom buat sales, as u can easily get up to 20% discounts on GroVia, it saved me alot!!* 

As of now, I'm proud to say that I'm cloth diapering my lil baby. Its not an easy one specially if you're a working mom, minus maid!! *Hi-5 Mr hubby!!*

ps: So happy that Adam now is diaper free!!Will share the good story soon ;)

Friday, December 23, 2011

Breastfeeding is Beautiful ;)


Went through the pictures in hp gallery, found many pictures of ebm which I've shared with my friends in tweetland. Decided to upload in as an entry, in future boleh tengok2..



1 session pump using Medela Mini E.
*time awal2 start keje after confinement*



;)



Out-of-office during training..
*Extension plug pun kena bawak sb surau tu plug electric dia depan pintu, tak logik sunggoh!!*




My day 1 using FS..
Collection in less than 7 min..
I <3 FS!!



1 day session with FS..
Start using Medela 8 oz bottle..



My happy collection for 1 day..
2 times pumping sessions



The day I forgot to bring back my ebm, left in office's fridge..
The picture of 2 days collections..
*someone asked me, ni 1 day collection ke?Kalau ya, mak bukak kilang susu ;)*


Alhamdulillah dengan rezeki Allah..
Semoga Allah memudahkan lagi perjalanan bf saya..
Amin..

I <3 BF!!


Wednesday, December 21, 2011

WW : Sama, tapi serupa ke?? =)


Sama : Dua-dua anak papa pantang bagi steering..

Tapi muka, serupa ke??


Abang Adam..


Adik Ryan...


Yang serupa..dua-dua bam bam ;)

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

How To Freeze and Heat Homemade Baby Food..

Just to double check that I'm doing the right way on freezing and heating the homemade baby food..
Good things to share..=)

******************************************************************************


Knowing how to freeze baby food safely makes it possible to prepare and store entire batches of homemade food for your baby - a real boon for busy parents.

How to freeze baby food - the basics??

There are several methods of freezing baby food - all of which work equally well - but which may occupy varying amounts of freezer space.

With all methods...

...You should prepare your homemade baby food, then cool it as quickly as possible to prevent the growth of bacteria. Any food left sitting at room temperature for more than two hours is not safe for your baby to eat and should be discarded.
To cool prepared baby food quickly, try spreading it in a shallow container - you can even sit the container in a pan of cold water, which really helps speed up the process. More information to help you prepare baby food safely and avoid the growth of food-borne bacteria

How To Freeze Baby Food - Method 1

Thoroughly clean a regular ice-cube tray and spoon your prepared baby food into each section. A lidded tray is ideal, as it protects the food from freezer burn or from picking up any other odours from the freezer. If you don't have a lidded tray, you can cover the tray with food-safe plastic wrap. Some people use foil, although we don't recommend it as you can find that some pieces of foil remain in the food!

Place the ice-cube tray into the freezer and - once the cubes are firm - press them out and place them into zip-top bags, which take up less space in your freezer.

This gives you perfectly sized little portions of baby food - usually around an ounce or so. One cube per meal may be enough for your child at first, but as he grows you may wish to place two cubes in each zip-top bag.

You can also make lots of different baby food flavours by mixing and matching different fruit and veggie cubes - combining a cube of pureed apple with a cube of pureed carrot, for example - yum!

ARE PLASTIC ICE CUBE TRAYS SAFE FOR FREEZING BABY FOOD?

There have been lots of concerns recently about freezing or heating baby food in plastic containers, because of the possibility of chemicals migrating from the plastics and into baby's foods.

Some ice cube trays are specifically designed for baby food (see below) and are free of these potentially harmful chemicals - but if you want to use a regular ice cube tray, then you might like to try a silicone tray, or even one made from stainless steel (the Tickle Trunk stocks one here).

How To Freeze Baby Food - Method 2

This is similar to method 1, because it involves freezing baby food then transferring it to zip-top bags - but instead of using ice cube trays, you can use silicone mini-muffin pans! Their flexibility makes it easy to pop out the food portions - plus, of course, their use goes beyond the storage of baby food when your little one is older!

How To Freeze Baby Food - Method 3

If you don't have any appropriately sized containers for freezing baby food, then you can use the baking sheet/cookie sheet method (although you'll need a little more freezer space initially).

Just spoon your prepared baby food on to a baking sheet to form little mounds (although please note that this won't work as well if your purees are very runny). Cover the entire baking sheet with food safe wrap (or loosely cover with foil), freeze until firm, then transfer the portions of food to a zip-top bag as before.

How To Freeze Baby Food - Method 4
Another good way to freeze homemade baby food is by spooning it into freezer-safe jars and transferring the jars directly to the freezer.
Please note, though, that you should never freeze baby food in glass jars unless the manufacturers of the jars specifically state that it is safe to do so.

Jars that are safe to use in the freezer should clearly say so on the packaging - other jars (including commercial baby food jars) are usually not strong enough to withstand the expansion of the food that occurs during the freezing process.

This means that the jar may break or - worse - may experience tiny hairline cracks, which you may not be able to see, but which will deposit tiny shards of glass in your baby's food. Many parents like to use Ball Quilted Jelly Canning Jars , which are designed for use in the freezer.



How To Freeze Baby Food - Method 5

Probably the most popular method of freezing homemade baby food is to use 'purpose built' baby food freezer trays or pots - and boy, are there a lot to choose from!

Manufacturers, recognizing the growing trend for parents choosing to make their own baby food rather than relying on commercially prepared alternatives, have come up with a whole range of products designed to make life easier! What's more, these products are free from the potentially harmful chemicals that some plastic trays may contain.


How to freeze baby food - keeping track of what you've made.

Labeling your homemade baby food as you freeze it is VERY important.

Making a note of the date will allow you to rotate your baby food 'stockpile' - in other words, you can check that you're using older batches of food before new ones. It will also help you ensure that you use your food within an acceptable time frame (see below for more information).

Equally as important as dating the food is making a note of what's in the container - baby food purees tend to look very similar to each other once frozen!

If you discover that your baby is allergic to a certain food - or if a particular food seems to trigger any type of digestive upset - then having the ability to go through your frozen food supply and identify then remove any 'offending' portions is crucial.

The method you use to label your food depends on the method you chose to freeze it. Some 'purpose built' baby food containers come with a writeable surface, whereas others may require you to affix your own label.

If you've chosen to freeze your baby food in zip-top bags, use the ones designed for the freezer, which usually have a surface you can write on.

HOW LONG CAN I STORE BABY FOOD IN THE FREEZER?

If your freezer is operating efficiently, most types of baby food will be good for up to 3 months.

That being said, we recommend trying to use your baby food within 1 month, before the taste of the food and its nutritional value may begin to decline.

To ensure the best quality of your frozen baby food, place it in the COLDEST part of the freezer - this tends to be the top shelf in upright freezers and the bottom section of chest freezers.

Learn more about the safe refrigeration and freezing of baby food, with tips for dealing with power outages

How to freeze baby food - which foods can I freeze?

In our experience, most types of baby food - particularly purees - freeze very well. You may sometimes need to experiment with texture, because the very process of freezing causes any water in the food to expand, breaking down cell walls. This is particularly noticeable when you freeze whole foods - a frozen banana, for example, will be very mushy when thawed - but is less of a problem when freezing prepared purees and meals.

Here are some tips we think you'll find helpful...

  • Don't thin your purees before you freeze them. Given the fact that many foods become more watery on thawing (particularly fruits and veggies), adding extra liquid before freezing them may leave you with food that's so runny your baby will need a straw to eat it!
  • Herbs and spices tend to lose their flavour in the freezer. If a baby food recipe calls for them, add them after the food is thawed, just before heating it.
  • Baked foods - like homemade nuggets or fish fingers - are best frozen at the point where they are ready for the oven, but before they are cooked. This is because the texture of the food (the crispiness of a nugget, for example) may be negatively affected by freezing then thawing.
  • If you like to make your own yogurt, then it IS possible to freeze it for your baby, but do be aware that it might be watery on thawing. Sometimes, a good stir is all that's needed to fix the problem - but on occasion we've found the resulting yogurt too runny to eat with a spoon and we've used it for smoothies instead! We'd recommend making homemade yogurt as and when needed, if possible.
  • We've always had good results with freezing homemade rice cereal and oatmeal - in fact, being able to do so is a real boon when your mornings are as busy as ours! As we mentioned earlier, though, don't make them too thin before you freeze them.
  • Many fruits - particularly banana and avocado, and even apples and pears - can look quite brown when frozen and thawed. This discolouration is a natural result of the fruit's exposure to air and is harmless, but if it bothers you, you can usually solve the problem by mixing a little lemon juice into the food before freezing it. Please note, however, that citrus sometimes triggers reactions in babies, in which case you may want to leave it out and accept a little discolouration!
  • It is perfectly acceptable to freeze cooked rice, as long as it is cooled quickly beforehand.
  • If your baby food contains cooked pasta - particularly if it's a textured dish, where the pasta pieces are quite large - then we recommend slightly undercooking the pasta. Thawed pasta can be really mushy - but by undercooking it, you are allowing it to absorb the extra liquid produced during the freezing process without turning it into a mushy mess!
  • If you like to make your own stock/broth, then it's handy to prepare a big batch all in one go and freeze it. Try freezing it in ice cube trays or the baby food trays shown above - then you'll have perfectly sized little portions of stock to use as needed.
  • If your baby food has been affected by 'freezer burn', it may have tough, discoloured patches. These are caused by the food becoming dehydrated and by exposure to air - and it usually occurs when the food isn't properly sealed or wrapped. Fortunately, though, the safety of the food is not affected - simply allow it to thaw, then cut or spoon away the affected area.
How to thaw baby food
The safest and easiest way to thaw your baby's food is to select all the frozen cubes you'll need for the next day, then put them in the fridge overnight. Frozen cubes of baby food take between 8 to 12 hours to thaw in most refrigerators.

It's a good idea to mark the food with the time at which you took it from the freezer - we then recommend that you use up the food within 24 hours if it contains meat, poultry or fish - or within 48 hours for other types of food.


Monday, December 19, 2011

My new gadget ^-^

Hoho, mesti ingat I beli iPhone4s ek??Mak tak mampu ;(

Sambungan entry pasal aktiviti masak-memasak makanan for  my little baby, here.*masak makanan orang dewasa, I surrender huhuhu* Yeap, I have my helper now. Which really make my life easier. Seriously, it worth for every cent invested. Bergantung pada individu sebenarnya, tak perlu gadget2 macam ni pun boleh prepare homemade food kan??Tapi ntah, banyak sgt rintangan ni, mudah nk give up nanti. *Hohoho. I ler tu!!* Lagipun kecanggihan teknologi yang ada, apa salahnye kita mencuba jugak. Kalau tak mane nak dan, nak cuci botol-botol lagik, steam lagik, cuci CD lagik..hohoho pening2!!  <---- mommy yg kuat mengeluh!! Not good not good ;(

At first ingatkan nak buat review pasal Avent Combined Steamer and Blender, skali lah dengan entry weaning Ryan at 8months old. So far, after almost 1 month using it, memang mudah. Daripada segi nak handle and nak cuci, simple je. Main part yang perlu di cuci pun sikit. Maksudnya, stakat nak buat few type of meals, at 1 session tu, boleh sgt. Lepas blend, cuci and lap, ready to steam for next meal.

Main parts : bekas blend and steam yang sama
 with the knife as chopper.


Came with the book recipes too..


Ni tempat letak air untuk steam.Mula2 confuse jgak, sebab takde timing kan..
Cuma ada sukatan air for, 5,10,15 and 20 min, bergantung pada makanan yang nak di steam..
Rupanye, kalau letak 5 min, memang after 5 min, ada buzz gitu..
*terkejut mak!!*


From left, tu picture time steam, then untuk blend,
pusingkan bekas tu untuk blend..
Easy peasy lemon squeezzy!!


Overall untuk keja masak-memasak ni maksimum 20- 25min termasuk keja2 mengupas kulit, steam and blend.*20 min untuk steam potatoes/pumpkins*So, buatnye stock makanan habis time weekdays, malam mommy layan tidur awal, subuh2 hari sempat lagi buat, skali boleh buat 3 portions..=)

Ryan dah 8 bulan. Sekarang ni, selain daripada 15-18 oz milk, I brought 2 portions meals to his nursery, breakfast and lunch. For his lunch or dinner, *still bagi 2 times meals daily*, biasanye bila time prepare stock homemade foods, I make 5-6 portions of 2 different meals. Still sweet potatoes as source of carbo, I mix with pumpkins and brocolli atau pun with carrots. Plus dates as another energy booster ;)


Pumpkin and brocolli..
Steaming is a good way to preserve the nutrients specially for veggies like brocolli..
 

5 portions..*skrang dah start buat 6 portions and more*


Ready for 1 week stock..


For breakfast plak..

Fruity..


Steam for 5 min aje..


yeha..


Organic oat..blend halus..


Mix with fruits for his breakfast..
yum yum..


Bila dah ada gadget macam ni, rajin lah sket nak reka2 makanan for Ryan. InsyaAllah, when he reach 9 mos, I will start to introduce brown rice for him. Started to read info about brown rice and easy way to cook rice for babies too. Tak sabar nak cuba. Tak tahulah, this time selain semangat nk buat homemade baby food, myself pun intrested to introduce organic foods. Many suggest not to use instant oat, will try for next packet. Plus, dah start tgk new recipe for couscous too...hehehe bestbest!! 

Will share more on homemade foods in next entry, InsyaAllah..;)


Wednesday, December 14, 2011

WW : Sleepy Lil' Boy


Siannye..
Ngantuk betul sampai tertidur haah..



I love this picture so much ..
=)

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Oh..I'm so touched!!

Hey lovelies,
I have good news to share here!! *happy mode*

Still remember my last entry about the Dumex Dugro Fruit & Veg launching that I went? Read here =). I did mention inside the entry about a short video of a motherhood story which the one aired during the launching day, aight?? It’s actually a touching and memorable video of the true love between mom and child. A mom who enjoyed her motherhood life, appreciating and encouraging all the good behaviors from her little ones. It shows how we should rewards and acknowledges every good deeds and efforts from our children. Seriously, it was a very touching story and almost makes me in tears. *sob sob* Ending of this sweet story is when the kid expressed his appreciation towards her mother in most unexpected moments.*paling syahdu*  Excited tak nak tengok???

Yeha!! Great news here mommies, the video now available on facebook for exclusive viewing and the best part, we will have chance to win some prizes when we start sharing the video too. Best best!! All you need to do is to visit Dumex Dugro facebook page here!!


And this is special for Fabulous Motherhood readers..
Enjoy the video..



“Yang terbaik untuknya, yang terbaik daripadanya”

As a mother, it's such a deep gratification and great joy when our children express their appreciation in the most unexpected moments especially if it is initiated by the child naturally.  I do believe these great devotions are reciprocated by a well brought up child.

Enjoy the video and don’t forget to share with all the mommies too..
*owh what a fabulous motherhood*



Sunday, December 11, 2011

Our 5 stars hotel getaway ^--^


Lovely hotel, delicious foods, comfortable bed...its a five start hotel!! Yeay, we're on holidays!!!

*rewind tape sound* I'm daydreaming!!! ;(

Instead we are at studio room, with 1 single bed sharing and 5 star hotel foods so called..so sad we were stranded at hospital!! Pity right ;(

Its a long weekend holidays for those who's working in Selangor's state. Monday off for Sultan Selangor Birthday, plus with school hol ramai yg plan for holidays kan?? Lucky we did not set plan for vacations. Just to have a great lepaking at home and window shopping, while having good foods and a spring cleaning...arggghhh harapan tinggal harapan. My lil boy fall sicks again. Started on Wednesday morning, suddenly the temperature increased, followed with a weird sounds of coughing. Bring to nearest clinic, doc claimed a usual fever and cough, instead, the mean mommy still send this chubby lil boy to nursery. The next day, the coughing sounds still there, I gave him a 1-day-break-at-home, and Friday morning we straight away sent to nearest hospital. Its a viral infection at voice cord known as croup viral which caused a barking sounds of coughing. Kesian, serak suara Ryan. The doc directly informed us that Ryan need to be admitted, to have a closely monitoring from a specialist. He also need to get frequent neb. Rather than tension at home, ubat pun bagi tak on time nanti, we agreed to admit him. Adryan has been monitored by paed Dr Fadzillah. Its a stress released also to get admitted actually, proper medications and good temperature monitoring, so we don't have to worry much about his conditions.

But still, I was totally exhausted!! That's the cons that I have to face when the boys were sent to nursery. I did not totally blamed the nursery, it could be me yg tgh batuk jugak last week, but yet with the increase of babies at nursery, really make me pissed off!!! Hey, jgn lah pikir pasal bussiness aje, amik selagi muat, with less helper to take care of the babies, of course the diseases easily get spread. When I started send Ryan to the nursery, there were only few babies, 2-3 kut. And now, everyday I can see new faces of parents!! Diorang tak pergi tgk ke kat atas tu, main campak asal boleh!!! And to be truth, as I decided to enroll Adam for the 4yo kinddy, I might survey a new place for lil Ryan too. Pity my chubby boy ;( But not sure whether sempat lagi tak, as the school with start in few more weeks!! Grrrrr!!!

Alhamdulillah, Ryan has showed a sign of recovery and will be discharged this evening. The paed strictly reminded us to avoid him from nursery for few more days!!!Just to ensure a total recovery. Owh no no. How I wished I'm not a working mom right now. I should plan for something. As we have a few more weeks to 2012, its really good time for me to come out with some new plan!!!*A new career path might be* 

But after all, I'm super tired. I need a breaaaaakkkkkk!!!! *I might sound like a lousy mother right now, it could be from my unstable condition..wuhahahahaha!!!*


My pity lil' chubby boy..











"Get well soon buddy!!"


************************************************************************************

* Info courtesy of Google search!

Croup

Viral croup; Laryngotracheobronchitis - acute; Spasmodic croup

Croup is breathing difficulty accompanied by a "barking" cough. Croup, which is swelling around the vocal cords, is common in infants and children and can have a variety of causes.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Viral croup is the most common. Other possible causes include bacteria, allergies, and inhaled irritants. Acid reflux from the stomach can trigger croup.
Croup is usually (75% of the time) caused by parainfluenza viruses, but RSV, measles, adenovirus, and influenza can all cause croup.
Before the era of immunizations and antibiotics, croup was a dreaded and deadly disease, usually caused by the diphtheria bacteria. Today, most cases of croup are mild. Nevertheless, it can still be dangerous.
Croup tends to appear in children between 3 months and 5 years old, but it can happen at any age. Some children are prone to croup and may get it several times.
In the northern hemisphere, it is most common between October and March, but can occur at any time of the year.
In severe cases of croup, there may also be a bacterial superinfection of the upper airway. This condition is called bacterial tracheitis and requires hospitalization and intravenous antibiotics. If the epiglottis becomes infected, the entire windpipe can swell shut, a potentially fatal condition called epiglottitis.

Symptoms
Croup features a cough that sounds like a seal barking. Most children have what appears to be a mild cold for several days before the barking cough becomes evident. As the cough gets more frequent, the child may have labored breathing or stridor (a harsh, crowing noise made during inspiration).
Croup is typically much worse at night. It often lasts 5 or 6 nights, but the first night or two are usually the most severe. Rarely, croup can last for weeks. Croup that lasts longer than a week or recurs frequently should be discussed with your doctor to determine the cause.
Signs and tests
Children with croup are usually diagnosed based on the parent's description of the symptoms and a physical exam. Sometimes a doctor will even identify croup by listening to a child cough over the phone. Occasionally other studies, such as x-rays, are needed.
A physical examination may show chest retractions with breathing. Listening to the chest through a stethoscope may reveal prolonged inspiration or expiration, wheezing, and decreased breath sounds.
An examination of the throat may reveal a red epiglottis. A neck x-ray may reveal a foreign object or narrowing of the trachea.

Treatment
Most cases of croup can be safely managed at home, but call your health care provider for guidance, even in the middle of the night.
Cool or moist air might bring relief. You might first try bringing the child into a steamy bathroom or outside into the cool night air. If you have a cool air vaporizer, set it up in the child's bedroom and use it for the next few nights.
Acetaminophen can make the child more comfortable and lower a fever, lessening his or her breathing needs. Avoid cough medicines unless you discuss them with your doctor first.
You may want your child to be seen. Steroid medicines can be very effective at promptly relieving the symptoms of croup. Medicated aerosol treatments, if necessary, are also powerful.
Serious illness requires hospitalization. Increasing or persistent breathing difficultyfatiguebluish coloration of the skin, or dehydrationindicates the need for medical attention or hospitalization.
Medications are used to help reduce upper airway swelling. This may include aerosolized racemic epinephrine, corticosteroids taken by mouth, such as dexamethasone and prednisone, and inhaled or injected forms of other corticosteroids. Oxygen and humidity may be provided in an oxygen tent placed over a crib. A bacterial infection requires antibiotic therapy.
Increasing obstruction of the airway requires intubation (placing a tube through the nose or mouth through the larynx into the main air passage to the lungs). Intravenous fluids are given for dehydration. In some cases, corticosteroids are prescribed.

Expectations (prognosis)
Viral croup usually goes away in 3 to 7 days. The outlook for bacterial croup is good with prompt treatment.
If an airway obstruction is not treated promptly, respiratory distress (severe difficulty breathing) and respiratory arrest can occur.

Complications
·         Respiratory distress
·         Respiratory arrest
·         Epiglottitis
·         Bacterial tracheitis
·         Atelectasis (collapse of part of the lung)
·         Dehydration
Calling your health care provider
Most croup can be safely managed at home with telephone support from your health care provider. Call 911 if:
·         The croup is possibly being caused by an insect sting or inhaled object
·         The child has bluish lips or skin color
·         The child is drooling
·         The child is having trouble swallowing
Depending on the severity of the symptoms, call 911 or your health care provider for any of the following:
·         Stridor (noise when breathing in)
·         Retractions (tugging-in between the ribs when breathing in)
·         Struggling to breathe
·         Agitation or extreme irritability
·         Not responding to home treatment
Do NOT wait until morning to address the problem.
Prevention
Wash your hands frequently and avoid close contact with those who have a respiratory infection.
The diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae (Hib), and measles vaccines protect children from some of the most dangerous forms of croup.



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