According to ChronicleLive, Humphreys and Reuben's mother, Stephanie Koch, noticed their son wasn't acting right while they were on vacation, but neither were prepared to listen to him struggle to take a breath with a barking sound coming out of him.
The child began to cough and then he lost his voice before the "fierce" bark began. They took their son to the doctor when the frightening noise the child was making didn't go away.
They were told he had an upper chest cough, but the fearful parents thought it had to be something else, and when he still had strange noises coming out of him the next day, they went a step further for an answer.
They took Reuben to a walk-in center the next day where he was whisked away in an ambulance to the hospital. Owen explained: …show more content…
The condition is usually caused by a virus infection, most often a parainfluenza virus. Fever and a hoarse voice are common with the croup.
The Mayo clinic suggests seeking immediate medical attention if your child:
Makes noisy, high-pitched breathing sounds (stridor) both when inhaling and exhaling
Begins drooling or has difficulty swallowing
Seems anxious and agitated or fatigued and listless
Breathes at a faster rate than usual
Struggles to breathe
Develops blue or grayish skin around the nose, mouth or fingernails (cyanosis)
Children between 6 months and 3 years of age are most at risk for croup, with peak incidence happening around around 24 months of age.
Reuben has been showing signs of improvement after being placed under sedation as part of his treatment.
Listen to the sad sound of the child struggling to breathe