CROUP

Croup is a childhood illness characterized by a cough that sounds like a barking seal. It is caused by the same viruses that cause the common cold. After several days of cold symptoms, the child develops a seal-like barky cough, hoarseness, and noisy breathing. Croup is most often seen in children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years.

There are two types of croup, viral and spasmodic. Viral croup begins with a cold that develops into a barky cough. The airway swells, making breathing noisy and more difficult. Some children may run a fever as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Centigrade). The greatest danger is if the windpipe swells so much that breathing is impossible.

Spasmodic croup causes spasms that occur during the night and early morning. The child will awaken gasping for breath within 1 to 3 hours after going to bed. During the spasms, hoarseness, and a barky cough are evident. A raspy type noise, called stridor, may be heard when the child breathes in. The spasms usually do not occur during the day and there are often signs of improvement in both breathing and hoarseness during the day as well.

Self care for croup:

Hold and console the child.
Run hot water in the shower to steam up the bathroom.
Take the child into the bathroom and close the door.
Cuddle the child in your lap. Keep the child calm by reading a story. The warm humidified air should ease the breathing within 15 to 20 minutes. The croupy cough will still exist. Repeat this for each spasmodic episode during the night.
If the steamy bathroom session does not work, and the outside temperature is cool, take the child outdoors for a few minutes. Inhaling the cold, moist night air may loosen up the air passages. The child may be able to breathe more easily.
Use a cool mist humidifier or vaporizer in the child's room.
Reduce dairy products.

Take the child to the nearest emergency room or call 911 immediately if the child:

seems to be struggling to get a breath
appears extremely anxious, frightened, or looks blue
is drooling and cannot swallow
cannot speak
the chest sinks in when he tries to breathe in or
makes a whistling or crowing sound while breathing in

Medical care depends on the type and degree of seriousness of the illness. Fever may or may not be present.

Infants and toddlers between 6 months and 3 years of age are at most risk, but any aged person, even an adult, can become seriously ill with croup. Croup usually lasts for 5 to 6 days and may occur in epidemics every other year.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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