Croup is a viral infection that affects children under six, causing a barking cough and difficulty breathing. It can be treated at home with steam and humidifiers, but if symptoms worsen, emergency medical attention may be needed.
Croup is a viral infection that mainly affects children under the age of six. In this disease, the vocal cords swell, resulting in a barking cough, comparable to the sounds made by a seal. While usually not a serious infection, the swelling can make breathing difficult. It is important for parents to closely monitor a child when they have croup in order to differentiate between a non-serious case and a situation where the child may need emergency medical attention.
The duration of the infection is usually five to six days. It usually gets worse during the night and symptoms peak around the second or third night. Croup can start unexpectedly without warning or it can develop from an innocent common cold. The virus that causes this disease is just as contagious as the common cold, so washing your hands often is a good idea to prevent the spread.
Symptoms include a harsh, barking cough and common cold symptoms. A fever, usually below 104°F (40°C), may accompany it. Your child may have a hoarse voice resulting from swelling of the vocal cords. The most important symptom to watch for is stridor, which is the raspy, wheezing sound your baby makes when inhaling.
In a mild case of croup, the affected child is normal, happy and playful, and has a decent appetite. If she can sleep well enough and has a cough, but no stridor, a parent can most likely treat the child at home or wait until the next day to contact a doctor for advice. If a child has a mild case, home treatment is quite simple and is simply about keeping the child calm and providing plenty of comfort.
Sitting in a steamy bath often helps relieve symptoms, as the humidity helps clear the airways. A humidifier or cool mist vaporizer can also help, and the cool night air also does wonders for clearing the airways. Many children have presented to the emergency room with improved symptoms simply because of the midnight outing. Any fever that accompanies the virus can be treated with acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
A case of croup can quickly develop into something more serious. If a parent thinks a child’s condition is getting worse, she should call a doctor or emergency room for instructions. A child who concentrates on breathing may have blocked airways. Parents should pay attention to “indrawing,” in which the child pulls on the neck, shoulders or ribs as he breathes.
If the stridor is getting worse and is severe even when the baby is calm, then the croup may have become serious. A parent should take the child to the emergency room right away if the drawing gets worse and the child is obviously working hard to breathe. If he is pale and cannot cry or speak, or is drooling or has difficulty swallowing, this is a cause for great concern.
Emergency room personnel will check your baby’s blood oxygen levels to see how much oxygen he or she is receiving. If the disease is severe, the health care provider may give a dose of vaporized adrenaline, which acts quickly to open the airways. Your child may also be prescribed steroids for a short time to help keep the airways open for the duration of the infection.
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