do any of you do anything special for croup (I'm assuming that's what we have, slight fever, barky cough, slight weezing) the 10m and the 3yr both have it. Thus far I've just been pushing fluids and we've been using "breathe easy" from Gessence and a bit of elderberry juice though the baby doesn't like it... Just wondering if anyone had some tried and true ways of helping this along.

not sure if you are into homeopathy at all
http://www.drfeder.com/children/homeopathy-colds-flus.htm

we have used spongia tosta on most occasions with success (this seems to be the remedy of choice in my house lol) but the link above can help with different kinds of coughs and modalities.

Steam. I take a hot shower and bring the babe in the bathroom when it's good and steamy. It always seems to help loosen things up a bit.

Mary has just come down with this again! We keep the vaporizer going w/ some of that vicks stuff in it (tho, I heard eucaliptus oil, mixed w/ mineral oil is much better).

We also give her 1 tablet of Hyland's Bronchial Cough (homeopathy) about 3-4 times a day. I give her a squirt of echinacea in some juice and make sure she has her vitamins. Good luck!!

thanks everyone!
Brawyn I love the idea of homeopathy but I just don't know enough about it to feel that I can make a decision as to which remedy is best for my child kwim... I did try to find the spongia tosta locally and of course was looked at like I was crazy.
Thankfully we seem to be over the croup, but A has a horrible ear infection with quite a bit of drainage, F is acting like he has a sore throat I'm nursing him constantly, E seems fine, D is getting a sore throat and has a mild fever, C is vomiting and running a good fever, he had a sore throat last week. And I am getting over strep that infected my uvala (sp) and made it swell to about golf ball size. I broke down and got a penicillan shot :yuck: I'm hoping to avoid abx for the other kids. C is the only one who knows how to gargle (how do you teach that) so I can't get them to gargle anything. I'm putting GSE in thier water cups and spraying thier throats with collodial silver and attempting to avoid dairy. I put garlic in A's ear and behind it. Did I mention I leave for a week on Wed.? oh man!