Understanding Croup

Croup is a condition that irritates your baby’s upper airways and causes them to swell. As the airway below their vocal cords becomes narrow, your child will find it hard to breathe. Their breathing will be noisy and they’ll have a cough that sounds a lot like a high-pitched seal or dog bark. Their voice will also sound raspy and hoarse, especially when they cry.

Most often, croup is caused by an infection. There are two types of this condition -- viral and spasmodic. It’s also called laryngotracheobronchitis.

Croup Causes and Risk Factors

Croup is more common in the fall and early winter. It’s more common in boys than in girls. Babies and children between 3 months and 5 years of age are most at risk. The condition is contagious, especially in the first few days or until your child’s fever is gone.

Viral croup is caused by any virus that infects the voice box (also called the larynx) and windpipe (the trachea). The virus that most often causes croup is parainfluenza. The symptoms are mild at first but get worse.

Spasmodic croup is rare. It comes on suddenly, often in the middle of the night. Doctors believe it may be caused by an allergy or reflux from the stomach. That happens when contents from your baby’s stomach move back up into their esophagus.

Other things can also cause a cough that sounds like croup. Your child may have breathed in something with fine particles, like powder or flour. A food allergy can cause their throat to swell closed. If you suspect a food allergy, call 911 right away. Other infections, including epiglottitis or bacterial tracheitis, have similar symptoms.

Croup Symptoms

Croup might start out like a cold. But over time, your child will develop a “barky” cough. They also may make a high-pitched, wheezing sound in their lower airway when they breathe in. The croup sound in the upper airway is a harsh, loud sound known as “stridor.” There can be a low fever too.

Symptoms tend to be worse at night. Your baby might also have redness around their eyes, swollen lymph nodes, or a rash.

Any time your child has trouble breathing, retractions (when their skin pulls tight around their ribs), or stridor at rest, immediately call your doctor or 911. Stridor when crying, agitated, or playing, or a barky cough is not an emergency. But if you have any concerns, go ahead and call your baby’s doctor.

Croup Diagnosis

A doctor can usually diagnose croup by examining your child and listening to their symptoms. But they may need tests to rule out other causes. Your child’s doctor may:

Listen to their breathing

Look inside their throat

Ask about any recent illnesses or breathing problems

Take an X-ray to check for something stuck in their throat

Test their blood oxygen level

Croup Treatment

Most of the time, cases of croup are mild and can be treated at home. Try to soothe your child and keep them calm. Crying can make the coughing worse. Hold them upright.

Make sure your child has plenty to drink. Try over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen to treat a fever.

It might make them feel better to breathe steam or cool mist.

Call the doctor if your child:

Looks sick

Has trouble breathing

Isn’t speaking or drinking

Has noisy breathing even when not agitated

If they have to see the doctor, they may get a breathing treatment or a dose of steroids to bring down swelling in their throat and keep their airway open.

Posted : 2023-12-07 16:06

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.