Humidifier for Croup

My daughter has croup. And we're trying to prevent it from progressing to the "strident cough" the nurse warned us about. So I went out and purchased a $140 humidifier last night to replace the $9 Vicks humidifier we've been using.

The humdifier is an Air-O-Swiss. Instead of merely boiling the water like the Vicks version does, this one heats the water, generates a micro-fine mist through high-frequency vibration, then blows the mist into the room through a swivel-spout.

What's cool is that this Air-O-Swiss humidifier works whether you heat the water or not. You can heat the water before it's turned into a mist if you want the room temperature to remain stable; or you can leave the water at its normal temperature if you want to cool the room slightly.

According to the booklet of instructions I received with the Air-O-Swiss, dry air is a liability. This is what the booklet says:

Did you know that dry room air:

• Causes the membranes in your respiratory system to dry out, and also causes chapped lips and stinging eyes?
• Encourages infections and illnesses of the respiratory system?
• Causes weariness, tiredness and poor concentration?
• Stresses pets and house plants?
• Encourages the formation of dust and the electrostatic charging of textiles made of synthetic fibers, carpets and plastic flooring?
• Damages furnishings made of wood and parquet?
• Detunes musical instruments?

I haven't investigated, but I suspect that what the booklet says is true. But I also wonder, why don't that say that on the packaging of the box? Why tell me after I've purchased?

I was going to purchase the humidifier for my daughter anyway, but it seems this kind of information would persuade more people to pick up an Air-O-Swiss to alleviate all those negative things the booklet lists.

By the way, Annabelle slept through the night last night. No coughing attacks. That's a big improvement over the night before last when she coughed herself awake at 2:30 in the morning. (Yes, Stephanie and I were exhausted yesterday. But that's the way it goes with kids! :-)